DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02
by Shinji Shazaki
Summary: The battle has begun.  The last chapters of my long-running saga are finally up.  Is it The End?  Find out for yourself, and I hope you've enjoyed this.
1. DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 1

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 1

[A/N: OK, this is the start of my second Series.Just like my Series 02 fics, this is an extremely serious saga.It will involve death, suffering, and tragedy.Don't say I didn't warn you!And on a side-note, all the ages are very screwed up.Just figure them out yourselves!]

[Disclaimer: I don't own.]

Ten-year-old Cody Hida walked silently from school.He stared at the ground as he walked softly on the gray sidewalk.His class had taken a very hard test the other week, and his teacher had finished grading them the night before.

Cody himself got the only perfect score of the entire class.

Questioned furiously at lunch by his friends, Cody had no answer.He had known very little about the test when he looked over his notes and texts.But a few days beforehand, a strange dream entered his restless sleep.

It described, in detail, the test's questions and the things Cody should study to pass.

But that had never happened before.So why now?Hida sighed almost sadly as he walked into the elevator and pressed the button for his grandfather's floor.

His mother and father had died when he was young, just about three.They had died in a car crash.Stepping off the elevator, Cody strode to his grandfather's apartment.

"So, how did you do on your big test?" his grandfather, who he called Grandpa, inquired."I got a perfect score." Cody admitted, sitting at the table.

"Well that's wonderful!" Grandpa clapped his grandson on the shoulder, "How about we celebrate with some ice cream and prune juice tonight?"

Grandpa led Cody to a little shop down in the city where they served everything Cody liked.

As they sat in the booth they received, Cody looked around and smiled.

"This place is wonderful, Grandpa!" he praised happily.His grandfather smiled in response.They paid no mind to the other people in the restaurant, especially the people sitting up at the counter.There was only one person.They were tall, and drinking something.They wore what seemed like a cloak, black and it curled up around their neck, hiding their face from view.

Twenty minutes later, Cody and Grandpa left the restaurant, Cody holding a ice cream cone in one hand.

Grandpa held Cody's free hand tightly as the two walked back towards the apartment.Even though the place was nice, the city at dusk was dangerous, even for a trained Kendo master like Grandpa.

"Hey gramps, you got any money?" a burly man slurred as he stood in front of Cody and Grandpa.Cody froze, but Grandpa tugged his hand slightly and tried to walk around the drunken man.The man shifted to block the two Kendo warriors.

"I said, you got any money?!" the drunk yelled.He shoved Cody away and yanked Grandpa's collar towards him.Cody stumbled to the ground, his ice cream falling from his hand.The drunk man pulled out a knife and waved it around.

"Gimme all yer money and get outta here!" he snarled.

Very suddenly, a small roll of money appeared in front of the man's face.He blinked and let go of Grandpa.He tried to grab it, but it was pulled away.Cody looked up to see a very tall person holding the roll of bills.Their hand was very pale, almost white, and he couldn't yet see their face.

Then, they shifted and the fading light shone onto them.It was a woman of maybe twenty-eight or so.She wore a long flowing cloak that reached her ankles, and had been following them every since they left the restaurant.

"Say you're sorry to these two, and I will give you the money." she said.Cody shivered at her cold voice.It was like ice.

"No way-" the man began, lifting his knife again.With unseen speed, the woman grabbed his wrist and pointed the knife backwards, breaking the drunk's wrist in the process, back at him.

"Now apologize." she ordered in the same tone.The man's eyes filled with tears of pain.He turned and moaned, "OK, OK!I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"The woman let go of his wrist, and tossed him the roll of yen bills.He caught them with his good hand and looked at it.

The woman began to turn and walk away, but the man said, "Hey, this isn't even a hundred yen!"He roared and slammed his huge body into the woman's slender figure.She was knocked into the wall and the man dashed to her.He slashed angrily with his knife.Surprisingly, at his distance, he only cut shallowly into her cheek.

She pulled back her fist and punched the drunkenness right out of the stupid man.He hit the ground with a thud, his knife flying from his hand.The woman caught the knife before it even lowered.

"Now, take the money I so generously gave you, and get out of here before I loose my patience." she said without expression.The man whimpered and stood shakily.The woman tossed the knife at him.He shrieked like a girl and ran like mad.The woman chuckled lightly from her cloak.

"Excuse me, miss," Grandpa spoke up, "but it seems that thug injured you.Would you mind if you came with us to clean that up?"The woman turned slightly to Grandpa."What a gracious offer." she laughed, "Thank you very much."

"So might I ask why you helped my grandson and I?" Grandpa inquired.He sipped his tea a little bit, staring over the rim of the cup at the woman.Cody drank some of his drink as well.His short legs hardly reached the floor from the couch he sat on.

The woman's long legs easily touched the floor, even though she had them slid outwards a bit and was sitting straight up.Now that Cody saw her without that strange cloak, he thought her to be a little bit pretty.She wore what looked like a high-school boy's uniform.It seemed everything she wore was black.It set off her rather pale skin well.

"Well, I believe in peace between all people, and that foolish man was bothering me to boot." she said silkily, taking a small sip of the green tea.Grandpa laughed and remarked, "Yes, that does seem like a wise way of living!"

"That, and I think your grandson is quite cute for his age." the woman said with a small smile.Cody blushed a rather deep red.The woman finished off her cup of tea and stood from the chair.

"Thank you for the tea." she said, "I hope that we meet again…Cody."Grandpa and Cody both leapt up, but the woman was already gone.

"This was certainly an odd night." Grandpa said with a bit of confusion.


	2. DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 2

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 2

[A/N: This is already fun!]

[Disclaimer: I don't own.]

For the next few days, Cody was always on the lookout for that strange woman.He always stared out his window before falling asleep.

Sometimes he thought that he saw her in the park, or on the street, but she would seem to disappear when he looked harder.

He was so preoccupied with the subject, he kept making beginner's mistakes in Kendo practice.

"Cody, are you all right?" Grandpa asked one day, "Your mind is wandering.""I'm sorry." Cody apologized, "It won't happen again."

A few weeks after the encounter, Cody had another one of those weird dreams.This time it wasn't about school.

It was about him on an errand for Grandpa.Boys from school, boys jealous of him passing the test, had ganged up on him.They were hitting him hard, beating him up.

Then, he cried out in something like pain, a bright light appeared, and the boys were all blown back into the alley walls.Cody grabbed the bag and started to run to his apartment.But when he got there, a horror met his eyes.

Grandpa was…

"CODY!WAKE UP!" Grandpa shouted.Cody let out a shout and sprang from bed.

"Oh man what a weird dream that was." the ten-year-old muttered, walking down the sidewalk towards school.He passed an alley, and when he was a good distance away, the mysterious woman stepped from the shadows.She stared after Cody avidly.

The day flew by for Cody.He jogged out of school, hoping to be early for Kendo practice.

"Hida!"

Cody froze at the call of his surname.He turned around and saw the woman standing in the midst of the school children.Black sunglasses covered her eyes, and she practically towered over the kids.Cody paused.She wasn't there when he got out, and there was no way anyone could get into the middle of such a thick sea of kids.The other kids ran past, and then the two were alone in the schoolyard.

"Long time, no see." the woman said softly."Hi!" Cody said with a smile.He jogged to the woman and bowed politely.

"You have to come with me." the woman said suddenly.

Cody looked up.

"You can't go back to your home." she continued, "You must come with me.""What?" Cody questioned, "I'm not going anywhere else but home!"He turned with an inquisitive glance over his shoulder.

"It's happened twice, hasn't it?" the woman called, "Your dreams showing what happens next in your life."Cody froze again."How do you know about those dreams?" he asked.

Darkness shrouded everything in Cody's sight, and with a hissing sound, the woman was behind him.He leapt in a turn to face her."I know so much about you, it's almost frightening." she said with a grin.Cody's forest green eyes opened wide at the woman's grin.She had unbelievably sharp canine teeth, she had _fangs_.

"What-what are you?!" he yelled."What you are." she chuckled, "But I always mean what I say.You are cute for your age, and you have to come with me."She knelt slightly and reached to take Cody's arm.Instinctively, Cody's arm shot up, and smacked the woman in the side of her face.Her dark glasses fell off with a clatter, and she stood frozen.

Cody froze as well.It wasn't the fact that he hit her, but her eyes that made him freeze.Her eyes were the darkest blue without appearing black.They had an expression of shock, and yet, sheer understanding.

"Yes, I should have expected that." she said, turning back and rubbed her cheek, "What with my idiotic straightforwardness."Cody stumbled backwards."I'm-I'm sorry!" he apologized.

"I don't mind." the woman said, "But I'm warning you, listen to what your dreams say."She stood and leveled her hand out.The dark glasses flew to her hand, as if attracted by a magnet, and she put them on.

"Cody Hida, I will see you again, but when you do, don't be surprised if I'm crying too."With a flip of her cloak, the woman was gone into the distance and darkness.The shroud-darkness disappeared when Cody hit the woman, and he fell to the ground.

Then, something clicked in his head.He pulled out a list of items his grandfather needed, and ran for the store.

"Geez, I need to get more sleep at night." Cody murmured as he walked towards his grandfather's apartment, a bag in arm.

"Hey, smart boy!" a voice called from the alley.Cody turned slightly, only to be dragged into the alleyway by a strong hand.He was shoved roughly to the dirty ground, and dropped the bag.

"You're gonna teach us how ta study for big tests, smart boy!" a burly boy laughed.He was from the Osaka region, judging by his accent."So how'd ya do it kid?" a scrawny boy asked, "How'd ya know it all?Cheat sheets?Sometin' writ' on yer arm?"

"I didn't cheat!" Cody protested, "I just studied hard!""Yeah, sure!" the first of the two boys laughed, "Yer gonna help us on every test from now on, wise guy!"

"NO I WON'T!" Cody shouted at the top of his lungs.The boys stared at his bravery."Yes you will!" the first boy slammed his foot into the side of Cody's stomach."NO!!" Cody shouted.The two boys jumped him and started to punch and kick him hard.

Cody closed his eyes tight, hoping to the gods they would stop.Then, the dream came back to him.He couldn't remember the rest, but the part he was in now…

With a cry like pain, Cody screamed, and a white light appeared from his forehead.The two boys were blown backwards into the walls, and knocked out.Cody panted for breath, grabbed the bag, and ran from the alley.

Cody wiped a small trail of blood from his nose as he walked slowly, almost limping, towards his apartment.

Grandpa was waiting patiently for Cody in the Kendo arena in the upper levels of the complex.His wise old eyes were closed in meditation.Then, the light against his eyelids went out, and a soft footstep reached his sharp ears.

"Who's there?" he called in his most commanding voice.He leapt to his bare feet and drew his bokken slowly.He could hardly see, for the sun had set and the lights were out.Still he could sense the presence of someone.A deep, throaty chuckle came from the darkness.

"Who are you?!" Grandpa cried out angrily."Someone you should fear even more than death." a dark, deep voice said.

A tall figure, taller than the woman he had met weeks ago, stepped into the light of the window-square.He wore a blood-red cloak, and had dark purple hair.

"This is my property!" Grandpa yelled, "Get out now!"In a shadowy flash, the man had appeared before Grandpa, and had a tight hold on his bokken.

"Where is that bratty grandchild of yours?" he asked smoothly."Don't you dare harm Cody!" Grandpa shouted.The purple-haired man snapped the bamboo-fashioned bokken, and shoved Grandpa to the floor.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" an angry, but familiar voice roared.The lights flickered back on again, and the woman from weeks ago was standing in the entrance to the arena."Ah, so you've sensed him too?" the purple-haired man asked with a soft voice.

"Get out of here." the woman hissed with ice in her voice, "You know what I can do to you.""But you haven't seen my…_upgrades_." the man breathed.His arms, which had been concealed under the cloak, pulled away from his body, and ripped the cloak to shreds.His right arm appeared normal, but the rest of his limbs were a strange sight to behold.His left arm was made of metal, and his legs were covered in blood red armor.

Her face turned horrified, and the man literally flew over to her.He slammed his clawed right hand into her stomach, and sent her crashing into the wall.She remained there, as her body had shot through the hard cement and stone and she had been knocked out."Now tell me where the brat is!" the man roared.

"Never!" Grandpa yelled, "I would sooner die than tell you where he is!"The man grinned a sick grin and said, "I was hoping you'd say that."The light gleamed off his metal legs and arms, and the lights went out again.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Grandpa!" Cody called as he jogged into the hallway to the arena.His eyes widened in shock.The woman he had wondered so much about was kneeling in front of the room, bent double and sobbing.The lights were out…

"GRANDPA NO!!!" Cody screamed.He ran towards the room, sobbing.The woman reached out a long arm and stopped him."You don't need to see." she whispered, "Don't try and look."Cody wrenched his arm free and flicked on the lights.His green eyes opened wider than ever before, and Cody Hida let out the most horrified scream in his life.

Grandpa lay in a pool of his own blood, his black eyes opened wide in terror and a bloody gash in his neck.

Cody dropped to his knees and sobbed.He fell to his side and cried harder.All his energy had left him, and he couldn't move.

The woman stood up and picked Cody up.He didn't struggle, but just kept crying, limp in her slender, but strong arms.

"Do you agree to come with me now?" she asked through tears, "I swear that I will never harm you, and where I take you, you will be safe, and welcome."

Cody couldn't answer, or move."Please give me your answer!" the woman pleaded, "If the police come and think I did this, it will be horrible for both of us!I will be thrown into jail, and you will be given to a family that can't care for you!You have to let me help!"Gathering every shred of energy he had left, Cody nodded, not knowing the reason why he agreed.The woman tightened her hold on the ten-year-old boy, and ran from the hallway.

Cody kept crying, and did not feel the woman carry him to a black car.He did not feel her get in, and hold him in her lap as she started the car and drove away from the apartment complex.He only stopped crying when he fell asleep from lack of energy, and shock.


	3. DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 3

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 3

[A/N: Yowza!I killed Grandpa Hida!]

[Disclaimer: I don't own, and sorry about Grandpa!]

Cody awoke to a warm bed, and sunlight streaming onto his young face."Cody, gods, are you all right?" a voice asked.Cody sat bolt upright, and looked around.

The woman in the cloak was sitting beside the bed.Her eyes were worried."Cody, are you OK?" she asked again.

Cody drew up his knees and cried a little."Grandpa…" he sobbed.The woman knelt down on the floor from the chair and drew Cody close."Sh." she urged, "It'll be all right."Cody sobbed and leaned on the woman's shoulder.

"Wha-what time is it?" he asked."It's just about noon." the woman answered, "You slept for two days."Cody kept crying."Who did it?" he asked, "Who did that to Grandpa?""I…Don't know.Please don't think it's me." she replied.

Cody cried for a bit longer, and then drew away.He wiped his eyes and sniffed hard."I'm sorry." he murmured."No, you're not." the woman said softly, "I'm sorry for taking you from your home."Cody stared at the brown-haired, blue-eyed woman.She really did care about his safety."Can you tell me where I am?" he asked.The woman stood and held out her hand.

"Follow me, and I'll show you why I brought you here."

Cody held onto the woman's hand tightly as she guided him through the halls of the strange place he was now in.

"My name is Shinji Shazaki." the woman began, "I run this school for exceptionally gifted people.You are an exceptionally gifted child."Cody glanced into a classroom and spotted a blond man with a strange contraption over his eyes, teaching science.

"Long ago, about fourteen years ago, my eight friends and I discovered, under rather difficult circumstances, that we had special abilities." Shinji continued, "I have a friend in America by the name of Charles Xavier.He also runs a school like this.I don't suppose you ever heard of the famed mutant registration riots, have you?"Cody looked back at Shinji, tearing his eyes away from a class being taught by a pretty brown-haired woman with red eyes.

"I think Grandpa mentioned it once or twice." he said.

"Well, those riots were about people like the people in this school." Shinji explained, "I created this school for protecting young people from being discriminated against, so they could learn, regardless if they were a mutant or not."

"Y-you're a mutant?" Cody asked in shock."You are as well." Shinji said shortly, "That's why I helped you that one night.That's why I wanted you to come with me that day.You are a very powerful mutant.With proper training, you can do things you never dreamed possible."Cody glanced sideways at a class being taught by a large-haired man.

"I thought that mutants were supposed to be weird-looking." he murmured, "Everyone here looks normal."Just then, a somewhat short man with brown, very pointy hair with sideburns turned a hall, looked at Cody and Shinji, and jogged over to them.

"So the tiny dweeb is alive after all?" he joked, bending and poking Cody's forehead forcefully.He was strong, and Cody fell backwards into the wall.Shinji's arm reached out and tapped the man on the shoulder.He looked up with a small grin.

Then, Shinji grabbed the man's collar, yanked him to a standing position, and slammed her fist into the man's face.He flew about five feet down the hall and landed hard on his back.At that very moment, a bell rang, and the students all crowded to the doors of the classrooms.Before any of the kids could leave the rooms, the man flipped onto his feet and threw his fists to his sides.With a sound like a sword being drawn, metal claws shot out from between his knuckles.

All the kids froze instantly at the sight.Cody shivered behind Shinji, who didn't appear frightened at all.

"Yes, very smart, Davis." came a voice from behind the two.Cody looked up to see the blond man with the weird thing over his eyes."Attack Shinji." he said sarcastically, "Learn how painful it is to be hurt by a psychic attack."Cody hardly listened to what the man said, for he was staring at a strange creature that was resting upon the man's head.It had large bat wings, white and orange fur, and large blue eyes.

Davis growled, and the claws shrunk back into his hands.The kids still were frozen.

"All right everybody!" Shinji said loud enough for everyone to hear, "The rest of the classes today are cancelled!Go back to your dormitories!If I find anyone sneaking around, there will be a severe punishment!"The children listened, and hurried away.

"TK, go and gather everyone else." the black-wearing woman said, "Tell them to go to the courtyard.It's time we introduced ourselves."She took Cody's hand and began to lead him towards some other place.TK, the man with the weird thing over his eyes, nodded and dashed off, the thing on his head holding on tight.

"Wha-what was the thing on that guy's head?" Cody wondered when he and Shinji had reached the outside of the school."One of many others you'll meet." the woman replied shortly.It seemed the confrontation with that guy called Davis had made her angry.Cody sat down on the stone walkway and looked at a small quartz chunk.It glimmered very gently in the afternoon sun.

But when he heard a tiny grunt of exertion, Cody looked up with his deep green eyes.Shinji was kneeling at a large rock, holding her hand over it.It was misshaped and huge, any person would be unable to even push it an inch.But a soft cracking rang out in the yard, and Cody stared at the rock.The woman's hand clenched slightly, and the rock cracked and shattered.Finally, with a huge cracking, the rock shattered into tiny pieces.But then, through the shower of the fragments of rock, appeared a perfectly smooth, rounded stone.

Without expression, Shinji picked up the palm-sized stone, stood straight, and hurled the stone into the air.It flew over the edge of the building, then higher and farther until it was out of sight.The head of the school let her hand fall to her side, and remained facing away from Cody.The ten-year-old stared in amazement at the tiny fragments that had broken away from the stone.What had just happened?

"Yo!" a voice called from behind the two.Cody turned and saw TK, and nine other people, all with those strange creatures, all except for Davis anyway."What's up, little guy?" TK asked, kneeling a bit and holding out his hand, "The name's TK Takaishi."Cody blinked a little, but took TK's hand in a strong shake."And I'm Patamon!" the orange and white thing on his head laughed.Cody looked at Patamon with a confused look.

"Oh c'mon!" a woman giggled from behind TK, "Don't look so scared of them!"A small purple and white cat stood at her feet and grinned at Cody."My name is Kari Kamiya, and this is Gatomon." the red-eyed woman giggled.Cody nodded at the twenty-year-old.A blond man with a dog-like creature stepped forwards with a friendly smile and hand.

"My name is Matt Ishida." he said, "The cool one, you know.And the wolf-man over here is Gabumon."After standing from the handshake, a man with large brown hair leapt onto Matt's back and the blonde blushed furiously."Yeah, you're the cool one, Matt." he laughed.He looked up at Cody with his brown eyes, and said, "I'm Tai Kamiya!"A little orange dinosaur appeared from behind Matt and smiled.

"I'm Agumon!" he laughed in a high-pitched voice."Yeah, my best bud!" Tai grinned."Enough already!" a red-haired man snapped, shoving Tai off of Matt.He looked for a minute at the groaning Tai while a red beetle stepped to his side."Oh, my name is Izzy Izumi." he looked at Cody, "And the bug beside me is called Tentomon."Tentomon waved a claw.A red-haired woman walked to Izzy's side and hugged his shoulder slightly.

"I'm Sora Takenouchi." she said softly as a pink bird fluttered up to her side, "And my friend here is Biyomon."Biyomon nodded her beaked head.A blue-haired man stepped forwards a little, with a brown-haired woman at his side, and a seal and a walking plant at his other side."My name is Joe Kido, this is my fiancée, Mimi Tachikawa, and our partners, Gomamon and Palmon." he said graciously, with an air of calmness.He held out a hand to Cody, and had a gentle shake.

"OK you lovebirds!" a purple-haired woman laughed, "Enough already!"She held a pink fluffball of feathers and stepped forwards."I'm Yolei Inoue." she said, "And my friend here is Poromon."Poromon waved a feathered wing with a smile.

"And you already known Mr. Grouch over there." TK said slyly, jerking his thumb over at Davis."Shut it, TS!" Davis growled."Isn't his name TK?" Cody asked, "Or did you forget how to spell it?"Immediately, Yolei and Gatomon fell into a fit of hysterics."Oh, you've got a great sense of humor!" Gatomon laughed, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Davis, where's Demiveemon?" Shinji asked suddenly."I don't know." Davis slurred.There was a collective sigh, and Shinji let out a two-toned whistle, one low note, and one high note.

Inside the school, in the young boy's dormitory, a blue cat-like creature stood up from his tickling and listened hard.His red eyes lit up, and he ran from the room.

There was silence for a few seconds, and then Cody could hear something shouting "Candy, candy, candy, candy!!!!"Then a blue streak shot from the open door to the school and latched onto Davis' pants leg."Where's the candy?Can I have some, PLEASE?" it asked a mile-a-second.

Davis scowled at the cute creature, and turned away.The cat-like thing looked as if it were about to cry when Shinji let out a quick whistle.The watery-eyed creature turned and looked around.His eyes lit up once more when he saw Shinji, kneeling slightly with some candy in hand for him.He ran over and literally leapt into her hands, chowing down on the candy.

"Davis, why aren't you taking better care of Demiveemon?" Kari asked, hurrying over and plucking Demiveemon out of Shinji's hands, even as he kept eating.She stroked his blue fur and looked at him sadly."That's mean!" she snapped.

Davis's brown eyes shot open and he turned to Kari."Geez, I'm real sorry, Demiveemon!" he said, "I won't do it again!"He stared to walk to Kari and Demiveemon, but Shinji was beside him in a flash, her fist embedded in his thick skull."Then why'd it happen twenty times already?!" she shouted, a pock-mark on her forehead.Davis groaned.

"That's everyone." the exasperated teacher muttered, "Kari, do me a favor, and show Cody to his dormitory."She wrenched her fist free of Davis' skull and started to walk into the school, muttering something about being late for something.But after rubbing his head, Davis straightened up and scowled.

"Hey, at least my partner isn't a coward!" he yelled, "He shows himself!"Then, everything froze.There was silence from everything, and Shinji stopped walking.Even Cody, who knew nothing of what was going on, sensed that Davis had said one of the dumbest things he ever had.

As Davis stood glaring at his superior, there appeared a darkness around only him and Shinji.The others were blacked away in the darkness, and Davis still glared."You know, being idiotic with me when I'm angry…is a very unwise thing." Shinji's voice bounced inside of Davis' head, "And to make matters worse, I'm not in a very good mood at the moment.Making me angry makes it worse…"

Then, shattering the blackness, some force knocked Davis off his feet and drove him into a wall with the power of a truck.After a short time, the teachers and everyone else began to move again, Shinji disappearing into the school."C-c'mon, Cody." Kari whispered, taking Cody's hand in hers.The two walked into the school, Cody staring over his shoulder at Davis.

"What…what are you exactly?" Cody asked to Gatomon.Kari giggled slightly, but was still shaking."I'm what's called a digimon." Gatomon said simply, "It's short for digital monster."Cody blinked a little bit and looked up at Kari.Kari sighed and said, "It's a long way to your dorm, so I'll tell you the story…"

And when they reached where Cody was to live, the story had finished.


	4. DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 4

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 4

[A/N: And now, starting classes and finding truth.]

[Disclaimer: I don't own.]

Cody was emerged in thought as Kari and Gatomon strode down the hall and disappeared beyond a corner.So that's what had all happened before…

But when he stepped into the room, eleven other boys of different ages ran to him with hopeful faces.All their questions were about what had happened.

"Why is that so important to you?" he asked in confusion.One boy named Tony Lega stepped forwards.He was taller than Cody, and had light blue hair with purple eyes.

"I have one of Shinji-sensei's classes." he explained, "And one day, a few weeks ago, she stopped in the middle of the lesson, and just ran from the room!""Why?" Cody asked."No one knows!" another boy, called Jan said with an evil grin, "Rumor says that she ran off to a date she forgot about!"Cody scowled angrily."Don't say things like that." he whispered.

"Say, do we have a pint-sized nobleman here?" another boy called Kei asked.The whole room roared with laughter."Hey, shut up!" Tony ordered, "If someone hears you bakas stirring up this storm, they'll report us all to Shinji-sensei, and I personally don't want any trouble!"The laughter died down, but there were still some low chuckling and cackles.

"Don't worry about these guys." Tony apologized, "They like to fool around with new guys, especially the little ones."Tony had a kind smile, and Cody smiled back.

"C'mon," the thirteen-year-old boy said, "I'll show you to your bed."Cody nodded and followed Tony.

There was another room where the boys slept, and they slept in bunks."Yours is right below mine." Tony confided, "So if you need anyone to talk with at night, or anything else, just tap on the boards and whisper."Cody smiled and sat on the bunk.It was surprisingly soft, and would be perfect to sleep in.

"By the way, why did you stick up for Shinji-sensei back there?" Tony finally asked, swinging himself up onto the top bunk, "I don't think many people would.""I don't see why they wouldn't." Cody muttered, "I'm pretty sure she saved my life."

"Oh?" his friend asked."Yeah, my grandpa and I were downtown and were getting mugged." Cody explained, "But she had been following us from this restaurant Grandpa took me to, and got rid of the guy."Tony chuckled.

"You know, there's another rumor flying around about Shinji-sensei." he muttered."No, I don't want to hear anything bad about her!" Cody said quickly."This isn't anything bad." Tony replied, "It's just something really interesting."Cody uncovered his ears and looked up.

"Word has it that Shinji-sensei has a door leading to some hidden place that no one's seen." his friend said in a low whisper, "No one knows what's there.Some people say it's a place of nothing, and some people say that it's a doorway to a realm where everything is perfect.Heck, the teachers don't even know.They haven't even been inside her room, let alone seen the door."

"So how do you know about it?" Cody challenged."One day, one of the seer girls had a weird dream, and it just showed a door inside of a small room, inside Shinji-sensei's room." Tony continued, "So that's one of the biggest mysteries here.The other is Shinji-sensei's supposed partner."Cody raised an eyebrow, and Tony chuckled.

"You know how the other teachers have those digimon partners, right?" he asked.Cody nodded and Tony kept going."Well, as the story goes, there were nine Digi-destined." he said, "Shinji-sensei was the Ninth.And Davis and Yolei-sensei are the later ones that came in a while back.So where is Shinji-sensei's partner?What do they look like?I asked one of the teachers a while back, but they said that they hadn't seen him in a long time, and forgotten."

"So the rumors fit together like this." he continued, "Some other people say that Shinji-sensei's partner stays in that room.That disagrees with the other rumors though.Anyway, I don't think anyone will see the inside of that room, or Shinji-sensei's partner."He pulled back from the edge of the bunk and settled on the mattress.A few seconds later, Tony was fast asleep.

Cody was left to ponder what he had been told.But after thinking for an unbelievably long time, Cody grew tired, lay back, and fell asleep.

Hida woke to someone shaking him.He opened his green eyes and looked around to see the smiling face of Tony."C'mon, squirt." his friend whispered, "You should get ready and get a routine started for school.""But I don't even have a schedule." Cody whispered back.Tony pointed to the foot of Cody's bed, where a schedule and clean clothes lay.The green-eyed ten-year-old blinked.

"Do you always get up this early?" Cody asked.He had seen a clock, and it said 5:25AM."Yeah, I can avoid the rush of the other guys." Tony grinned, "Besides, I like to get to class quick so I'm not tardy."Cody blinked at his friend again.

As the two friends got ready together, Tony told him who the teachers on Cody's schedule were.First he had language with Kari, next was gym with Tai, then world studies with Mimi, after that was lunch, then math with Izzy, afterwards was a Kendo session, next was science with Joe, and finally there was a spot that read: "TRAINING"."Oh, that's just Shinji-sensei." Tony said, pulling on his shoes, "She teaches us how to hone our powers."After a quick breakfast, and directions to each class, Tony and Cody parted ways and headed to class.

"Cody, you're here early!" Kari said with a little surprise.Cody remained silent and looked at his feet."Nervous?" Kari teased.Cody jerked and concentrated on his shoelaces.His teacher's words just made his stomach grow tighter.

"Don't worry about it." Kari said, smiling and waving her hand, "There are kids your age here, and the classes shouldn't be TOO hard."Cody laughed weakly as the knot in his stomach loosened.

Kari told the truth, and the classes that Cody went to were challenging, but not too hard.He made another friend, a girl by the name of Reya Tsun.She had all his classes, and the power of telekinesis.

"So how's your first day here going?" Reya asked during lunch.Cody had a small smile on his face and sighed."It's not as creepy as I thought it would be." he confided."Why would you think that?" Reya inquired."No reason." Cody replied quickly, "By the way, what's training like?"Reya smiled and said, "Well, it's pretty hard, but once you understand how everything works, you'll have no problems at all!"

Reya and Cody were the first to reach the training class.It was outside, due to some people's powers, in the back of the school, in a forest-like area.Reya guided Cody to a clearing close by, where a tall figure in black stood.Cody was about to say hello, but Reya quieted him quickly.She pointed her hands at a medium-sized rock and concentrated hard.Slowly and silently, the rock floated into the air.

Reya grinned, and sent the rock flying at Shinji.Cody was about to say something again, but the teacher turned, as if on air, and held up a hand.The rock burst into pieces and fell to the ground.

"Very nice, Reya…" Shinji said slowly and with a grin, "If Cody hadn't been thinking so loudly, you probably would have hit me this time."Reya grinned.Shinji turned to Cody and asked, "So, how goes your day?"Cody smiled sheepishly and replied, "Fine."

"Great, just make sure not to make Jin angry during training." the twenty-six-year-old said easily."Why not?" Cody asked.Reya was about to answer, when the rest of the class appeared from the forestry.

"All right." Shinji started as soon as the class had settled, "Now I'm sure you've all heard of the new student, Cody Hida."There were a few murmurs of consent and the teacher continued, "Well, I want one of you to come here and give him a demonstration of your ability."She stopped pacing, faced the class, and grinned.

"Fight me." she ordered.

Reya gasped softly.Suddenly, a boy with gray hair stood up and strode quickly to face the teacher.They couldn't see, but he was scowling at the teacher."How kind of you, Jin." the teacher said with a smirk, "Tell Cody what your ability is."With a growl, Jin threw his fist forwards faster than Cody could see.He was positive that it would hit Shinji, but the teacher's form wavered and she was gone.

"Very nice show of your speed, Jin." Shinji taunted from up in a tree beside Jin, "Now show him the rest."With another growl, Jin leapt up, and was launched higher than the limb.He brought forwards his fist as he fell, aiming for the teacher again.

Then, in the split second before Jin's punch landed, Shinji jumped up and grabbed a higher branch, folding her body upwards as Jin's punch snapped the limb below.

"You aren't really trying, are you?" the teacher laughed from above.Jin let out a roar and sprang at the limb. He succeeded in snapping it and making the teacher fall, but Shinji twisted her body and landed on her feet.Jin scowled and leapt to the ground as well.

"You see Cody, when there are people that have Jin's sort of powers, I have them train against me." Shinji explained, "That way, no one else will get hurt.However, when it comes to training your friend, Reya, there isn't a way that she can hurt people unless she wants to."

But once the class had gotten underway, Cody had no clue of what to do.Shinji strode over to him, knelt, and spoke quietly."You have a strange gift indeed." she whispered, "I've spoken with Izzy, and even he doesn't know what it is.What feeling do you have deep inside, what do you feel throughout you?""Well, I don't know." Cody replied.

"You don't have a distinct feeling?" the teacher asked, "Nothing at all?"Cody shook his head."This IS a strange occurrence." Shinji muttered, "Every mutant has a distinct feeling deep inside of their power…"

"Well, I feel normal." Cody confessed, "I don't feel any distinct thing."The teacher paused in thought for a moment.Then a strange evil feeling shot through Cody's mind.Everything felt cold, and he shivered.Shinji's eyes opened wide and she turned her view to the sky.A black shadow blocked the sun for a short while, but quickly passed.

Cody shivered at the coldness spreading through his body.His skin became pale, and he collapsed to the ground."CODY!" Shinji yelled.The ten-year-old shivered until it appeared he was vibrating, and began to cry."Cody, what's wrong?" the teacher asked.Cody couldn't answer.All he could see was his grandfather lying in a pool of his own blood, and all he could hear was his own screaming.

In truth, Cody was screaming, his eyes pure white and his skin pale."Cody-kun?" Reya whimpered, walking up behind Shinji.As if on cue, the final bell rang.Most of the students took no notice of the screaming and crying Cody as they ran back to the school.When Shinji tried to pull him into a sitting position, Cody saw the shadowy figure of his grandfather's murderer, and tried hard to punch the person.

Shinji was too quick for Cody, and held his little fists tight."Stop hallucinating!" she ordered.Cody wouldn't stop seeing and hearing what he did, so the teacher passed a hand over his eyes.The frightened boy passed out.

Reya tried to step forwards, but Shinji took Cody in arm and stood."Reya, get back to the school.Now." the teacher ordered.Reya nodded jerkily and ran towards the school.Shinji held Cody easily and started back to the school as well.

"You mean he had a seizure?" Kari asked a little skeptically."It wasn't any medical condition." Kari's superior replied, "He sensed something.""What?" Kari asked, "If he sensed something, you surely must have!"Shinji held her hand over her mouth, her eyes narrowed.Did she dare say it…?

"No, I wasn't concentrating." she whispered, "I didn't sense a thing."Kari eyed the blue-eyed woman suspiciously."OK, I'll fix Cody up." she agreed, "Just make sure he stops getting hurt."Shinji nodded and left the room swiftly.

Kari sighed and rubbed her warm palm against Cody's cold forehead."She's closed up quite a bit after bringing you in." she muttered to the unconscious boy, "I wonder what you stirred up…"

Shinji strode through a darkened hallway to her room.It was a small room, much different from any of the other teacher's rooms.All that was in the room was a bath, a chest of drawers, and a couch.But there was also a door on the farthest, most shadowy wall of the room.She half-ran to the door and wrenched it open.Immediately, she ran through the doorframe, and slammed the door shut behind her.

If someone had been standing behind the teacher, however, they would have seen the door lead to a room that appeared like a gym.But after Shinji had ran into it, the room disappeared into blackness…


	5. DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 5

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 5

[A/N: Anyone figured out what the shadow was?Ah this is fun!]

[Disclaimer: I don't own.]

A tall, evil figure sat, musing inside of a darkened chamber.He drummed his fingers against his knee, thinking.He grinned a cruel grin as he counted off the pawns he had hidden in the school.Oh how they all hated her as much as he did…

Cody lay in a bed in the infirmary, his eyes constantly open and blank.Then, he blinked slowly and the green returned to his young eyes.He sat up just as slowly and looked around.

"Oh, you're awake?" Kari asked, walking into the room.Cody looked at the teacher in silence."Can you tell me what happened yesterday?" she asked.Cody didn't answer, and kept staring at Kari."Are you all right?" the teacher asked.Cody blinked a few times."You were unconscious when Shinji brought you in here." Kari said slowly, "What happened during training?"

Cody turned away and looked into his lap, glaring slightly.Kari sighed and looked at the boy with a worried look."Cody, go on back to your dorm." she said softly, "Get some rest.I'll tell Shinji that you woke up."She patted the boy on the shoulder and walked from the room.Cody remained still, staring at his lap.

Kari knocked at the shadow-hidden door of Shinji's chamber.She had to ask her brother where Shinji stayed, for she had never ventured down in the darkened places of the school.Her small fist lingered over the wood door.She hadn't seen the Ninth Digimon in so many years…She couldn't remember what they looked like, what they were, what their name was even.

When an answer didn't arrive as soon as she anticipated, Kari knocked again.Again, no reply.Had something happened to Shinji?Kari raised an eyebrow and knocked once more.

But when no reply came once more, Kari became both frustrated and worried.She turned and was about to go alert TK, but the door opened with a soft creak.Kari whirled back around and met with glowing blue eyes.She let out a squeak and fell against the wall.

Kari blinked, and the glowing eyes and darkness vanished.All that was there was Shinji, who looked at Kari with a tired grin and breathing a little harder than someone would.

"I'm sorry." Shinji apologized, "I didn't notice the door." Kari blinked and few times, regained her composure, and stood up from the wall."Sorry to bother you like this, but Cody's woken up." she explained, "I thought you might have wanted to know."When the head teacher didn't reply, Kari continued, "Also, I was wondering if you figured out what happened."

"I haven't." was all Kari's superior answered.Kari jerked ever so slightly."Should I send Cody up-" she was about to ask."No." Shinji snapped, "I'll send for Cody if I need to.Now head back to TK." Almost immediately, the door had been shut, and disappeared in shadows again.Kari stared for a moment, then walked away.

"Hey, how's Cody doing?" TK asked when Kari entered their room.The doctor walked over and plopped down into her boyfriend's lap before talking."He's alive and awake if that's what you mean." she murmured, tracing small circles on his chest.

"So did you tell Shinji?" he asked."Yeah, but…" Kari trailed off.She sighed and leaned against TK gently."She's been acting weird since Cody's aura appeared up in her head." TK chuckled.He thought for a moment and said, "I don't that she's every run from a class before."

Kari giggled a little."Well. I don't think that she's every shut the door in my face before either." she muttered.TK looked at her through the cool blue of his eyeshot glasses."What do you mean?" he asked."I think I probably interrupted something." Kari said, "And she was really anxious to get back to whatever she was doing."

"Look, she's the head teacher here." TK muttered, "Shinji's probably got tons of work to do."Kari nodded a little and looked up at TK.She smiled a bit and kissed him.He wrapped his arms around her and deepened the embrace.

Cody had gone back to his dorm by then.He went straight to his bunk and lay down.He had seen another dream of the future.

But this one showed a tall man with purple hair, red eyes, and an evil grin.He was trying to kill Cody himself…but another tall man, with pale skin, short blond hair and fangs saved Cody, nearly dying himself…

He opened his eyes.It was night, and he had fallen asleep.But what had he seen?

Shinji stretched out on the single piece of furniture in her room, staring up at the ceiling.Her right hand was splayed across her stomach, and her left hand hid part of her left eye.Kari hadn't taken the time to look at what Shinji had been wearing.It was a loose white tee-shirt, and loose white pants.It was the sheer antithesis of what she wore during the day.

"So, trying to figure out what happened?" a deep and comforting voice asked from the dark shadows.Shinji sighed and shut her blue eyes."I'm a poor teacher." she murmured.The person in the shadows stepped towards the woman and sat by the couch.

"Shinji, don't say that." they ordered.A large, but soft hand reached up from the floor and placed itself on top of her forehead."You saved that boy's life." they chuckled, "And you probably did it once more during your class.""Don't praise me." Shinji sighed, "I hate that."

"I thought you liked it when I praised you." the person laughed.They ran their long fingers through her brown hair and smiled."Not to ruin the mood, but don't you have to go to some sort of government meeting?" they asked.

Shinji groaned angrily and rolled over, facing the back of the couch."Why the hell do I have to talk to those stupid, stuck-up government morons?" she sighed, "All they ever want to say to me is that they want to get rid of the school, and all the kids' parents are saying that I kidnapped their kids.""C'mon." the person muttered, "If anything, those kids came to you.Their parents kicked them out, and now they think they've got a weapon to protect the home."

Shinji chuckled lightly and smiled."Well, I can keep my temper." she said, "I live on the same planet as Davis, don't I?"The person knelt up from the floor and lay down behind Shinji.They slid their arms around her and pulled her close."Actually, you could fire him at any second." they muttered in her ear."I need the teachers." she replied.

The next day, before the sun rose, Shinji was going to leave."You're walking to Tokyo?" the person asked."I'm afraid that I might go somewhere after the meeting." she replied, sliding on her black cloak, "And even if I am psychic, I'd probably run into a pole.Besides, it helps my training."The person chuckled."You are determined." they laughed, "But what about your classes?""I asked Yolei to sub in for me." Shinji replied."See you tonight then." the person said, wrapping their long arms around her.

Cody was silent during every class.He wouldn't speak even to Reya or Tony.But when he came to training, something happened."Where's Shinji-sensei?" he asked quietly.Yolei looked at him with a cool glance."That…doesn't matter." she answered, "Besides, you need to get back to training."Cody tried to train, but other than the fact that he couldn't figure out his ability, the intriguing question of where the teacher was bothered him.

"We have over one-hundred reports of children running away from their homes, and appearing at _your_ school, Miss Shazaki." the first government official said, reading over the paper with his glasses, "Can you explain this?"Shinji looked at the three old men over the top of her black sunglasses coolly."They may be old fools," she thought, "but if I make any comment, I'll be tossed in jail for life."

"Now, we aren't saying that those said parents are pressing charges against you or your school." the second man said, "We just have requests from those parents for you to return their children."Shinji blinked a few times and pulled off her sunglasses with a sigh.

"Sirs, if I may say," she began, "I have spoken with each of these children after I found them, wandering on the streets in downtown Tokyo.Most of them told me that their parents yelled at them when they discovered their…abilities.They left home, as their parents supposedly wanted, and I merely offered a way for them to not be discriminated, and also a way to focus their possibly dangerous powers."

"Still, the adults report that their children left home in a fury, and had threatened to physically harm other people if they did not 'get away'." the third said, "The parents mentioned also reported that their hearts were filled with grief when their children left home.Now, we wish to know what you will do in response to these claims."

"Sirs, not to be rude, but I personally don't give a damn about what those so-called parents said." Shinji said smoothly, "I…well, I personally know the truth.Those parents were lying, and the children were being utterly truthful."

"Miss Shazaki!" the first man cried, "How dare you speak with such impertinence to us!Even if you have special pardons from certain areas because of your position, your language and your disrespect for others is inexcusable!"

There was a sharp, cold silence between the whole group.The government officials were glaring at the teacher angrily, but the teacher was looking back easily.

"So, will you take my word, or those other people?" Shinji said, "Because I DO know that those parents were lying."The first man growled and snarled, the second frowned, but the last, a young man with cool red eyes, stood up and held out a hand.

"Miss Shazaki, I personally take your word." he said, "However, my colleagues might not.Now, if I may be so daring, I would like to speak with you, outside of government business.Can I meet you anytime soon?"The two other men looked at the youngest with a strange look, and Shinji looked extremely unprepared for the question.

"I…uh…well…I suppose." she agreed, somewhat nervous, "When and where?"The man chuckled very lightly."Miss Shazaki, it will still be a slight business meeting." he said, "I'm not asking you out on a date."Inwardly, Shinji let out a grand sigh.

The man walked out from the large desk and stood before Shinji.They were of equal height, and stared each other in the eye.

"I will meet you, next Saturday, at your school." he explained, "I want to see how you and your fellow teachers work.So, do you agree?""If it isn't a date, of course." Shinji answered.

"Wonderful." the man chuckled, "My name is Kusan Igan."The two nodded to each other, and Shinji turned, and left the government building.

Cody lay on his bed since he returned from dinner.He wouldn't speak, nor move.He just wanted to know what had happened.And to him that meant talking to Shinji-sensei.

Shinji let her head lower after taking a drink."Geez, kid, you musta had a rough day." the bartender said, washing a glass.When Shinji didn't reply, the Osaka-born-and-raised man sighed and went about his business.Shinji looked through the dim light at the liquid in the glass in her hands.A slight smile slid across her lips as the liquid shifted and rippled, throwing memories through her mind.

Especially of her partner.

But as she was thinking of how gentle his touch was, when a woman's voice let out a yell.She turned, her sight a bit blurred, and looked around.A burly man, much resembling the man she fought when she met Cody, and another burly man were trying to drag a young woman, about nineteen, out of the bar.They were laughing quite strangely, but the woman didn't want to move.

"Listen, little lady," the bigger man laughed in a drunken voice, "you hafta ta come with us.You come…dressed in here like dat…you're just askin' fer it."Indeed, the girl was dressed somewhat scantily, and looked very pretty."But I didn't say anything like that!" she protested, "I just came here to have a few drinks!"

"Oh no!" the second said, "You gotta come with us!"He pulled her close and kissed her forcefully, and rather disgustingly.Back at the bar, Shinji sighed and put down her drink."Damned conscience." she swore in her mind, walking towards the conflict.

"Excuse me, but why are you trying to force this young lady to…come with you?" a voice asked from behind the drunken man.He whirled around and came to face a tall woman with dark blue eyes.

"Damn it, she's even hotter dan dis slut!" the second man hissed, shoving the girl away and going towards Shinji.The first man held him off and stared at Shinji.

"Calm down!" he ordered, "From what I can tell, this babe is a lot more refined den dat bitch."He grinned rather oddly and said, "She probably likes it real gentle."He chuckled, and so did the other man.Shinji mouthed 'oh', nodded, and lowered her head.Then, as the men were chuckling, she sharply punched the first man in the jaw.The man flew into his friend, and the two went flying into the wall.

"You bitch!" the first yelled, getting up and rubbing his sore jaw.He didn't notice or care that his friend had been knocked out."Now yer gonna do what I say!" he whispered/yelled.Almost grinning, Shinji lowered her head and allowed the man to drag her to a booth in the back of the bar, hidden in dark and shadows.

"Now listen!" the drunk hissed, "Whatever you want or say, I'm gonna do de opposite!Of course, it doesn't mean you won't get a good night in de end."He grasped her thigh tightly, and harshly, and leaned over to kiss her.But Shinji slapped him hard.There was a throbbing red mark on his cheek, and he snarled.But he slightly tackled the woman to the plastic seat, and held her shoulders tight.

"That's it!" he snapped, "You've pissed me off way too many times!Now yer gonna be hurtin'!"He loosened his grip a little and smiled."Although, if you agree to everything I say, I won't hurt ya.Much." he snickered.Shinji herself grinned, leaned up and whispered in his ear, "Go screw a lamppost."The man's rage flared, and his hands went to her throat."Now you die!" he growled, beginning to tighten his hands.

She started to choke, and tried to pull her hand up to move his, but her eyes closed and her hand fell.The man grinned and chuckled.His hands started to move away, and he began to sit up.

With a flash, a sharp point was against the drunk's throat, and Shinji was still alive.A claw was on her right pointer finger, and a grin on her face.The man gulped, and saw fangs, but not the blue eyes.

"You must certainly know how to please someone." she smirked, "But I already have a boyfriend, and I'm very loyal to him."She pushed up with the claw, and frowned."Now imagine your life force spilling onto me from a gash in your neck." she whispered, "That would be so…pleasing."She pushed upwards a little more, and growled."Now will you stop trying to get me in bed with you?" she asked, "Or do I have to cut your throat?"

The man nodded and sat up and away."I'm off now." Shinji said and immediately stood, and strode off.

Shinji walked out of the bar, took a deep breath of clean air, and walked away.From the shadows of the bar entrance, two light red eyes stared after the woman…

It was dark when the head teacher walked through the forest surrounding the school.Nothing seemed wrong, until a certain pointy-haired teacher dropped from a tree.

"Where the hell were you today?" Davis growled, "Yolei had one hell of a time teaching those brats in your classes.""I don't think where I was, or what I was doing is much of your business." she replied silkily.She started to keep walking, but Davis grabbed her arm.

"Yes it is." he snapped, "And you know what?No one's ever seen your digimon partner.The originals can't remember what they even looked like!You're too secretive!Tell me at least one thing or I just might rip you apart!"He held up a fist, with the claws out.Shinji glared over her shoulder angrily."You.Are threatening me?" she asked in a growl.

Davis sneered.Shinji sighed and pulled off her sunglasses."Fine." she said, "Here's something you don't know about me.I could punch you and then I could kill you ten times before you hit the ground."She wrenched her arm free and walked away.Davis growled after the head teacher, and the claws sank back into his hands.

Cody was sleeping, when a sense shot off in his head, waking him up.He would talk to Shinji-sensei the next morning…

Cody went through each class silent as a mouse, not even speaking to Reya again.But he rushed to last period, wishing to speak with the teacher.

He spotted the teacher, leaning against a tree and staring at the gray sky."Sensei!" Cody shouted, running up.The teacher turned to Cody, staring lightly at him with her blue eyes."You're here quite early." she said, turning back to staring at the sky.

"Well, I just wanted to know…what power do I have?!" he shouted, the question coming out far too forcefully.The teacher remained staring."All I know is that your dreams can tell the future, sometimes."Cody's mind quickly flashed back to the dream."Sensei, I-" he started.Just then, the rest of the class arrived, cutting Cody off.As the class began to train, Cody noticed something.Jin and another boy called Hien, who always glared at Shinji, were glaring even harder than usual, and grinning slightly too.

Cody sat on the cool grass, leaning against a tree.He tried to focus his mind completely, as Yolei had ordered him to the day before.His mind, and eyes, drifted from his focus and he watched Hien fight Shinji.There was such a look of calmness on the teacher's face that it appeared she didn't even care.

"Cody, heads up!" Reya suddenly called fearfully.Cody looked straight up to find a rock hurtling towards his face.He couldn't move for he was paralyzed with fear.Then, as the rock was only about a foot away, a hand shot in front of his face, and caught the rock.Cody stopped shaking and looked towards the person that stopped his nose from breaking.

It was a tall man, probably in his early twenties, with black hair and cool red eyes.He smirked a little and let out a high-pitched, long whistle.Everyone paused, and Hien took the new opportunity.He leapt off the branch and swung his leg around in a roundhouse kick.The teacher was caught off guard, and the attack sent her off the tree and through another.

The class let out a collective gasp, except for Jin and Hien.Shinji sat up, shoved the tree off of her legs, and stood.She looked at the man who saved Cody's nose with a calm look, but still confused.

"Mr. Igan, what are you doing here?" she asked easily, "I thought you said you would be coming here next weekend."Kusan glanced at Jin and then Hien with a tiny smirk.

"I decided that I would see how you would react if I came early." he muttered.The teacher raised an eyebrow, and stared at the government official questioningly.Cody looked sideways at Kusan, nearly frowning.There was an evil, lying feeling about this new person, a feeling that he disliked.

"You certainly are a strange government official." the teacher murmured.Kusan snickered."But being strange is the best part of being alive." he laughed, "Wouldn't someone like you agree?"Shinji narrowed her blue eyes and asked, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"What I mean is, being a normal person is just so boring." Kusan continued, "All normal people ever do is go to work, then go back to sleep.But being a mutant is so interesting.You have special physical abilities, and could probably kill someone and get away clean."Shinji's eyes narrowed more."You speak as if you know how it feels." she hissed, "Tell me, Kusan Igan, what are you really?"Kusan chuckled deep in his throat.

"Ask, and you shall receive." he whispered.He closed his eyes, and quickly reopened them.They had turned a darker, blood red, and his hair turned dark purple.

Faster than anything Cody had ever seen, the man had dashed over to Shinji, and began to crush her neck.He was much taller than her, and her feet hung limp as he choked the teacher.A trickle of blood slid from her mouth as she struggled to say something.

"K-Kusanagi…you bastard…" she growled.But she trailed off into a cough as he slammed his fist into her stomach."No vamp boyfriend to save you this time, sister." he grinned.

Everyone in the class was silent.Suddenly, Jin and Hien let out cheers and ran over to Kusanagi.

"You found us, master!" Jin yelled.Kusanagi chuckled and looked at the boys."Your evil auras are unmistakable." he laughed, "So, do you wish to do anything with your teacher?"Shinji glared with one eye, her hands trying to pry away Kusanagi's.Hien grinned and held up an arm.He ripped out a blade from his skin, and held it in front of his teacher's face threateningly.

"Can I poke her eyes out?" he asked.Kusanagi slapped the boy quite hard, sending him into a tree."I meant did you want to do something that won't kill her." he hissed.Hien's head lolled to the side, and he passed out."Next time, I'll snap your neck if you ask such a stupid question." the evil man growled.

"Master, would you mind if I headed back to headquarters?" Jin spoke with the highest respect, "I don't think I want to see what you're going to do."Kusanagi laughed."All right." he agreed, "But in the future, make sure that you can stand a little death."Jin saluted Kusanagi with two fingers over his heart, then ran away, grabbing Hien and disappearing into the forest.

"Now, how should I kill you?" Kusanagi questioned, "Should I beat you to death?Perhaps blow you apart like you did to me twelve years ago?Or maybe…"He held his right hand to his sister's forehead and grinned."Or maybe I should use my…upgrades."His sleeve ripped apart, and his hand literally lowered from his wrist to hold the trigger of a hidden weapon inside his arm.The barrel of the weapon pressed sharply against Shinji's forehead, and Kusanagi laughed.

Then, with what could only be described as pure courage, Cody leapt to his feet and slammed his body as hard as he could into Kusanagi.The man was surprised and flew into the forestry, dropping Shinji."Everyone!" she coughed out, "Get inside and warn the other teachers!"Everyone instantly followed, and were out of sight after a few seconds.Cody was sitting, stunned."Cody, get inside!" the teacher ordered.But Cody couldn't move.

Kusanagi stood up slowly, groaning, and looked at Cody."You!" he yelled, "You're the brat I meant to kill that night!"He roared and aimed his weapon at Cody.Just as his finger began to pull the trigger, Shinji tackled her brother, and the bullets disappeared into the air.Kusanagi stopped firing, and threw his sister off of him.She flew through five trees, and stopped when she slammed into a rock.

Kusanagi growled and stood back up."Dammit." he swore, "Only one bullet left."But then he grinned and lifted the gun to aim at Cody's head."But a well-placed bullet to the head always killed someone." he grinned.Then, as Kusanagi began to pull the trigger once more, things almost seemed to slow down.

Cody heard heavy, running steps and the shuffling of grass.He could almost see someone running from nowhere, from the forest.A man wearing normal clothes, with fangs and short blonde hair dashed in front of Cody, just as Kusanagi pulled the trigger.The bullet drove itself deep into the man's side, and he fell to the ground.

Although he was bleeding badly, the man laughed and said in a deep, regal voice, "I won't let you kill such a powerful Digi-destined."Kusanagi's rage flared at the sight of the man.

"You damned vampire!" he roared, "How many times must I injure your body until you get the point?!"He pulled his foot around in the beginning of a roundhouse kick, but his sister took the blow.She fell to the ground, knocked out, by the man.

"DAMN IT!" Kusanagi roared, "Why do all of you want to protect this little brat?!"He raised his left hand, and Cody's eyes widened.Suddenly, a geyser of water erupted from the ground and threw the man away.

Kusanagi looked up from ten feet away at the just-arrived teachers."Leave, Kusanagi!" Tai ordered, "Or we'll tear you up like last time!""And this time, Shinji isn't awake to save you!" Mimi taunted from behind Joe.Kusanagi cursed and stood."All right." he laughed, "But beware.The next time we meet, my upgrades will be your worst fear!"He disappeared in a flash.

Cody was still staring after the man when Sora ran over to him."Cody, Cody are you OK?" she asked frantically.Cody suddenly became aware of everyone else, and the man who was bleeding.He tried to get up and run over to the man, but Sora restrained him."Cody, calm down!" she ordered, "We'll handle this!"She held Cody down, even though he struggled.Tears welled in his green eyes as he saw Tai pull the man up, and Matt pull Shinji up, and the teachers walk away.

Almost immediately after Sora let him go, Cody ran after the out-of-sight teachers, not knowing where they were.He simply ran, and followed an indistinct feeling he had in his mind.And then, he was where he wished to be.


	6. DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 6

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 6

[A/N: Anyone care about Kusanagi's sudden return, and the weapon known as the Oblivion Gun hidden in his arm?]

[Disclaimer: Don't own.]

"Damn it!" Shinji groaned, rubbing her neck, "You forget how hard someone can kick you in the head after twelve years!"Kari stared at the teacher."You do realize he almost broke your neck." Tai muttered.Cody blinked a few times before shutting the door somewhat loudly.

The teachers looked up at Cody quickly."Uh, Cody!" Kari said, a bit stunned.There was a silence where everyone blinked, just staring at each other.

"So this is the famed Cody that you've been telling me about." a deep voice said.Everyone chose to turn to face the direction of the voice.The man who had taken the bullet for Cody was awake and alive.

"Hey, whoa!" Matt jumped, "You shouldn't be sitting!"The man waved his hand dismissively."Since when have I needed more than a minute to heal a wound?" he joked with a fanged grin."But-" Kari began.To prove the two teacher's point, the man's eyes widened, and he bent double.

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow!" he groaned, holding his abdomen.There was a loud crashing as everyone except Shinji face-vaulted.She just embedded her fist in the back of the man's skull."Hey, I'm injured!" the man groaned when he sat up.A pock mark stood out on the teacher's forehead.

"Then maybe you shouldn't be so cocky with your healing abilities!" she snapped.The man laughed slightly.Everyone stood back up and sighed.Cody blinked a bit."So, uh…who are you?" Yolei questioned.The man straightened up and his face turned serious.

"I am known as Mikashi Yushimitsu Odaiba Tim Ieayasu." he said.And when the group began to blink, he continued, "Satoshi Mihosi Otoshi Nick Talentrent Hitomi Evan Valetenez Ashitaka Michael Pachinko Irezumi Ronin Enkai the Ninth.Don't hesitate to call!"The group all blinked, but Shinji sweatdropped."What.Are you talking about?" she asked.

Mimi was thinking hard.Then it clicked.

"Hey, now I remember!" she slapped her fist against her palm, "You're Myotismon, the Ninth Digimon!"

Myotismon let out a yell, "I hate it when you call me by my full name!"Suddenly, a black cat with green eyes leapt onto his lap and let out a 'Meow'.Everyone stared.Shinji grabbed the cat by the scruff of its neck, stood, walked to and opened a window, and threw the cat out the second-story window."I don't know where that cat came from, or what it wants, but it won't stop following me!" she yelled.

"Myotismon…Myotismon…" Yolei pondered, "You aren't the same Myotismon that attacked Tokyo over twelve years ago, are you?"The digimon sighed and looked away."Well, technically, that was my fault." Kari murmured, "He was looking for me."

"But he found me." Shinji finished, "I'm his partner."Her hand slid over his discretely, and he smiled slightly.

"This string-armed loser is the one you kept hidden for all this time?!" Davis snapped.The cold words caused a spark to fly through Shinji's spine."Gods, what kind of weirdo are you?" the twenty-two-year-old growled, "Or were you just hiding this guy because he doesn't have any power as a digimon?"

"Davis, don't put your foot in fire." the head teacher growled, "Choose your words more wisely."

"Why in the world should I say anything else?" Davis taunted, "This guy's just a loser that isn't worth anything in a fight!"Shinji was facing away from everyone, and they couldn't see the rage in her face.But Myotismon could tell.Her eyes began to fill completely with the color of the sky, and the hand over his was beginning to shift to that of her first form.

He flipped his hand over and tightened his hold on her hand.Immediately, his partner blinked, and her body returned to normal."_Gomen_." she said through a psychic link to him.

"Davis, don't question my strength, for I could easily kill you at any time." the digimon directed his sight at the teacher.A grin overtook Davis' face as he said, "Let's see then."In what seemed like less than a second, Davis had his claws out, and leapt at Myotismon.Even faster, the digimon pushed his partner away and jumped up.With a ripping sound, Davis had stabbed his fist into the place Myotismon had been sitting, and the digimon was above him.

Before anyone could move, Myotismon fell behind Davis and grabbed his arms.Myotismon twisted Davis around and slammed him to the ground, twisting his arms."I won't kill you because we need the teachers." the digimon said with a smirk.He let the teacher go and stood up, smirking at Davis's discomfort.

Cody stopped blinking enough to ask his question, "Can I ask who that man was?""Yes, that's a great question." Yolei said flatly, "Who was that guy?"The elder Digi-destined looked at their feet."Well?" Davis growled.

"A man who you should fear more than death." Tai started.After that, it was quiet once more.

"Yeah, real descriptive." Yolei muttered."How about a name?" Davis agreed.

"Call him whatever the hell you want." Shinji said easily, "Kusanagi, Shin, or just…"She sighed and walked to the window."Or just brother." she muttered."What the hell does that mean?" Davis snapped.

"Kusanagi is my brother." the head teacher said quietly as she walked out the door of the room.Yolei and Cody blinked in shock, but Davis just hissed."I should have known." he growled, "That guy's scent smelled the same as hers.Evil."An almost invisible grin crept onto his face, and he walked out the door as well.

"Hey, loser!" Davis said, shutting the door quickly behind him.The head teacher kept walking, ignoring Davis.Before she had gotten more than ten feet away, the quick mutant was before her.

"So, now all your secrets are up in the sunlight." he taunted, "You won't be able to hide anything anymore if all your secrets have death involved."Shinji moved around him and kept walking, her eyes to the floor."Don't ignore me!" Davis nearly yelled.He jumped forwards and shoved the head teacher to the wall.He grabbed her wrists and held them against her back, and his claws shot from his free hand.

"Now, do you have any more secrets to reveal to the light?" he growled, shoving his claws slightly into the skin of her neck.Trickles of blood leaked from three wounds created by the pointed metal, and Shinji remained silent."Tell me!" he ordered.He drove the blades deeper, and growled angrily.But the growl cut off into a choke as a hand wrapped around his neck and squeezed.

"We don't ask you about any secrets that you have." Myotismon growled, "Now let Shinji go or I'll snap your neck."Davis choked and tried to move, but was unable.But he was able to comply with what the digimon ordered, and let Shinji's wrists go, but he wouldn't move his claws.Instead, with a grin, he forced them deeper.Shinji gasped in pain, and Myotismon's eyes widened.His other hand flew up and grabbed Davis' fist.He yanked the claws free from his partner's neck, and literally flung the other teacher down the hall.

Davis slammed into the wall, upside down, and slid to the floor.He flipped over and stood back up."You dare touch her like that again, I'll rip out your throat!" the digimon roared, his eyes ablaze.Davis snarled and walked from sight.Myotismon whirled around to his partner and wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you all right?" he questioned.He hardly had to ask.Shinji was hardly standing, just limp in his long arms.Myotismon slid her hair away from the wounds to inspect them, his hand becoming slick with blood.They weren't perhaps very harmful, but blood ran from them."Will you be all right?" he asked.

She nodded and bit, and leaned harder against him, drawing his arms tighter around her.He held her as tightly as he could without hurting her, and just held his hand over the wounds."I have to talk to Cody." she murmured suddenly, "I'll meet you back in our room."She pried herself out of his hold with a small smile and bent the high collar of her shirt back up.The wounds had healed a few seconds before, and the blood was gone.As she disappeared into the room again, the digimon looked at his fingers.

His hand was completely coated with blood, and he moved his fingers slightly.Then, as he turned and disappeared into nothing, he began to lick the claret-red blood from his hand.

"Cody, could you come with me please?" Shinji asked immediately as she came into the room.Cody blinked a few times before saying, "To where?"The other teachers looked up immediately at Shinji, wondering what she meant."Just come." she pleaded.Cody slid off the chair he was sitting in and nodded.He was a wise boy, much to his teacher's great joy.He knew not to keep asking.Cody jogged up to his teacher, and the two walked from the room.

"That's it." Yolei said flatly, "That woman just plain creeps the hell outta me."

"So, is Kusanagi really your brother?" the young boy questioned softly as the two walked down the hall."Aa." she replied shortly, "He is my elder brother.He killed our parents."Cody gulped almost silently and stopped speaking."He is the one who killed your grandfather." Shinji suddenly said gently.

Cody gulped again.But suddenly, he was walking alone.He whirled about to see Shinji standing by a door with a smirk."If you're going to help us beat Kusanagi's butt, you have to be a lot more aware." she chuckled, "And besides, a Kendo warrior should have better senses."She opened the door, and both walked into the room.

"Wow, you got here a lot earlier than I thought." Myotismon laughed, stretched out on the couch in the room, "What did you do, knock everyone out?""Shut up." Shinji countered flatly.Cody blinked."Now, Cody, you remember that Kusanagi ran away right after Joe blasted him with a little water, right?" Shinji inquired.Though it seemed that it was a lot of water, Cody nodded.

"Well, it's just that I've never seen him this weak before.Twelve years ago I cut off his head, and he came back to life in a few seconds." Shinji said."It probably has to do with the fact that you blew him to pieces after cutting off his head.I think that that sort of thing would pretty much weaken anybody." her partner countered."You're probably right, as always, vamp-boy." she sighed.

"I hate that name." her partner said flatly, "But I think I've figured out your power, Cody.""Really?" Cody leapt at the statement, "What?"Shinji bent down and whispered something in his ear.Cody's forest-green eyes widened in shock and he said, "Really?""Would I lie?" his teacher replied.

"I won't say anything." Myotismon snickered.Cody sweatdropped and his teacher sighed."One last thing." she muttered, "I want you to come here after classes from now on.""What for?" Cody inquired."To train." Shinji answered."Where?" the boy kept asking."You'll see." she tapped his nose with a smile, "But you should be going back to your dorm.It's probably late."

Cody shut the door behind him with a click and smiled.With some luck, he knew he would be ready for anything.


	7. DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 7

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 7

[A/N: It's been a long time since I typed this…Well, hope I've still got it!]

[Disclaimer: Don't own.]

The teachers stared at the notice that had been on their desks that morning.They could hardly believe the notice said what it did.It was fairly early when they got to their classrooms, and they had a large amount of time before they had to begin the day, so they went to investigate.

"Why in the world-" Tai began."Is this a joke?" Matt finished."Do I ever joke?" Shinji replied."Not often enough, but still." Kari said."These kids can't stay here for the entirety of their lives." the head teacher sighed, "They have to learn to behave normally, and to not display their abilities if they should become irritated."

"But a school study trip to Tokyo?" Joe inquired, "Isn't that dangerous?Especially after what happened a few days ago!""There won't be any problems." Shinji nearly smiled, "Trust me."

It was only two days later when the classes left the premises for the study trip.Cody sat on his knees, staring out the window of the train with a grin."C'mon, kid!" Tony laughed, "You're acting like you've never been to Tokyo before!""Not around the whole city at least!" Cody turned, "I haven't even been to the Tower yet!""Oh man, if you haven't seen the Tower, you haven't seen anything!" Reya hung over the back of her seat, "I can't believe you haven't been!"

"I wonder if they ever finished the repairs on the Tower."Sora wondered thoughtfully, "Skullmeramon really messed it up.""Yeah, well, at least he didn't completely destroy it." Mimi patted her friend on the shoulder, "Look of it that way.""Hey, it's been a long time since we've been down in Tokyo." Tai leaned against the back of Sora's chair, looking down at the two women, "Anyone up for a little taunting?"

"Yep, Myotismon needs some happy reminders of his attacks twelve years ago." Matt grinned, "But we'll probably have to find him first.""Anyone up for bothering Shinji till she tells us?" Tai reworked his question.

"Incredible." Myotismon said, "You think that people would get suspicious with you talking to yourself all the time.""Well, if our only way of communicating without your being seen, I have to." the teacher replied, staring out the window, "But the only problem with this system…""What?" the digimon inquired from his half of the mental link.

"I can't see your cute smirk." Shinji muttered."Uh-huh…" Myotismon muttered, "By the way, you had better look out for the rubber band."A second after his prompting, Shinji snapped her left index finger up, strangely catching the rubber band that was flying through the air towards her face."Cute, Tai, _real_ cute." she said sarcastically and with a small grin.

"Say…" the big-haired man said from the other side of the aisle, "Might I ask where Myotismon will be staying?""With me of course." the head teacher replied so nonchalantly, Tai was stunned, "Isn't _Matt_ staying with you?"Tai blinked and blushed badly, his eyes shrinking.

"I thought I told you never to mention that aloud!" he squeaked.The teacher smiled at Tai, resting her chin on the edge of her hand."You two are so bonkers." she muttered, "And when I first met up with you guys I thought you and Matt were going to kill each other eventually.""Oh, you are so dead!" Tai growled, "I'm going to get you back for this!"

"How?" the teacher grinned, "You can't even sneak up on me, so how in the world are you going to do anything, even less a prank or something?"Tai grit his teeth angrily and broke into an angry sweat."Oh, c'mon, Tai." Shinji smiled, "You are such a gullible twip."Tai stood and went back to his own seat, sitting next to Matt.

"You are so mean to him." Myotismon reestablished the mental link, "But- wait."The teacher froze, opening her eyes and sensing a strange shock going through the link."Shinji-chan, I felt something." her partner said, "There's something that's manipulating the shadows that _I_ usually have power over.There's something—someone there.Are you _positive_ that you don't want me to come along?"

"I won't risk your safety right now." the teacher replied, "You were shot a few days ago, and I don't want you to get hurt anymore.Stay at the school."Myotismon sighed and said, "You're the boss." The link shattered with a short snap, and Shinji glanced out the window."Shadows." she thought, "What could be manipulating shadows and darkness other than Myotismon or me?"

The sky was beautifully sunny, and the students were full of spirit, ready to see the city.

"All right gang, let's get to where we're staying for the week and then tomorrow, we'll head out and around!" Tai called, waving his hands to get everyone's attention.There was a collective groan from the students, and Tai smirked."I know, I know!" he continued, "I want to get out and around too, but we have to take a rest and get settled in our rooms!"The huge group started off towards the buses, and soon, they were off.

Cody rested his elbows on the edge of the windowsill, staring down at the city.Even in the black of the night, the lights and cars that were still on entranced the boy."Hey, Cody, I think you had better go to sleep." Tony yawned, "We have a huge day tomorrow, and if you don't go to sleep, I might have to carry you around!"

"You go ahead and sleep." Cody replied, "I'm not tired yet."Tony shrugged, and fell backwards, dropping off into sleep a few seconds later.Cody sighed at his odd friend, and then flopped onto his own bed, staring up at the ceiling.His mind traced back to the fight between his teacher and her brother.But then Myotismon came and saved him…

"Why in the world did he call me a Digi-destined?" the ten-year-old wondered.He blinked once, and then nearly screamed in horror."What, never seen a vampire in the dark before?" Myotismon questioned, standing beside the boy's bed.

"Wha-what the heck are you doing here?!" Cody hissed, "I thought you were staying at the school!""Look, don't tell Shinji, OK?" Myotismon replied, "But there's something I really need to give you."Cody blinked again, but then hopped out of his bed.

"I keep forgetting that your psychic skills aren't very good yet." the digimon said, "No wonder you haven't figured out what I'm talking about.""Does this have to do with that Digi-destined thing?" Cody questioned back.In response, Myotismon pulled out two things from behind his back.One was a silver digital apparatus, and the other was a large, strangely colored egg.

"May I present to you, your digivice and digimon partner." Myotismon smirked.Cody stared at the egg, wondered what it contained."Take care of it, and it'll take care of you in time." the digimon explained, "Just make sure he doesn't get hurt before he hatches."He glanced up and around, and then turned an interesting shade of blue.He was staring out the window, and Cody looked out the glass as well.The ten-year-old turned a strange shade of blue as well.

Holding onto a brick outside the window, watching the conversation, was Shinji.Floating through the glass, the teacher stood cross-armed and staring at the digimon."Didn't I tell you to stay at the school?" she questioned."But-" the digimon tried to protest.

"He was just giving me this!" Cody snapped, holding up the egg and the digivice.Shinji blinked, staring at the items."Fine, you can stay." the twenty-six-year-old said, "But don't go spooking people around the city.If anything, you're staying with me, vamp-boy.""It's been twelve years!" Myotismon groaned, "When are you going to stop calling me that name?!"Smiling, the teacher grabbed one of the digimon's pointy ears, and dragged him off.

Cody stared after his teacher as she and her partner faded into the shadows.He sat back on his bed and looked at the egg."So I'm a Digi-destined too." he murmured, "I wonder what my partner will look like."

As for the trip, most of it went very well.The final day was the day Cody was really waiting for.The school was scheduled to visit the Tokyo Tower, which had been fully restored from the mysterious damages it received twelve years ago.

"So, ready to go to the top of the Tower?" Tai taunted his little sister.She had a bad fear of heights, and she didn't enjoy the prospect of going over three hundred meters into the air."C'mon, Tai!" TK said, "Knock it off!"The older man just chuckled and rubbed his sister's head."Just kidding, Kari." he apologized.

"Oh wow!" Reya said, looking out the large windows, "You forget how great the view is after a long time!"Cody nodded in agreement and stared down at the landscape.The city was a sight to behold at high altitudes, and great on sunny days.

"Geez, our boss just can't lighten up, can she?" Tai said behind his hand to Matt, "Even on this trip, she hardly smiled at all.""Lay off." Izzy ordered, "There's probably something on her mind.""Yeah, but what?" Joe wondered.

With those words, a girl from one of the older classes let out an ear-piercing scream and each of the teachers looked up.Hovering before the window the girl was looking out was a strange black thing that looked like a moving shadow.Its eyes were slits of white, and it opened its maw to flash horrible, gleaming fangs.The students leapt back and stood ready to fight, but Tai and the others rushed forwards.

"Everyone back onto the elevator!" the twenty-four-year-old man ordered, "Get back from the Tower when you reach the ground!GO!"Following orders hesitantly, the students rushed back to the elevator.Only Cody stood his ground.

"Kid, get over here!" Tony shouted."Cody!" Reya called.But Cody would not budge.Tony and Reya watched in horror as the doors slid shut, and the group began their dissent.

Izzy raised his hand and fired off a beam of red energy, shattering the glass and scattering the shadow.But then the shadow reappeared in front of Cody, scaring the boy badly.In a great flash, a flashlight was flicked on, and the shadow let out a roar.Cody shielded his eyes and looked at the shadow again, and gasped.

"Very nice, shadow-boy." Shinji said, flicking off the powerful flashlight, "Who are you again?I remember seeing you on some stupid show about geniuses.Ah yes, Ken Ichijouji."The purple-haired man scoffed and smiled at the teacher.

"And I remember you." he said, "You're that mutant woman who always seems to be in trouble with the government.Shinji Shazaki, wasn't it?""You had better not disregard her partner." a voice said from a corner.The group turned to see Myotismon leaning against a wall, glaring at Ken."I've seen you in my mind." the digimon said, "You aren't just a mutant.You're one of the Digi-destined.So where's your partner?"

"You'll see in time." Ken replied, "My job right now is to fight her."The tall man turned to glance at the teacher when he heard a crunching of glass."Certainly a job you did on the window, Izzy." she grinned.Suddenly, she flipped backwards out the broken window.Cody gasped and jumped forwards, but Ken scoffed."He always said she was too over-dramatic." he muttered.He shut his purple eyes and leaned his head back, a dark glow surrounding him.

"Look!" a by-stander shouted.Shinji fell quickly from the window, upside-down, and eyes shut.The crowd that had gathered gasped collectively, and stepped away from the Tower.

"And now for the final touch…" Shinji thought without expression.

"SPIKING STRIKE!" a voice shouted suddenly.Shinji's eyes flew open, only to be blinded by a bright purple light.Unable to dodge, Shinji grabbed the burning spike and stared at her attacker."A BUG?!" the teacher shouted.The humanoid insect twisted his arm and flung the teacher down faster, fluttering in the air and waiting for her to hit the ground.

Shinji flexed quickly, and slammed hard onto the ground, feet-first.Throwing her sight up the new enemy, she grinned and leapt up and towards the green creature.

"GET HER, STINGMON!" Ken roared out the window.Myotismon let out a shout and tackled the twenty-year-old out the window, the two falling into the sky.

"So, Stingmon's your name?!" Shinji shouted, standing on a metal bar."Let's go!" the digimon yelled in response.He flew forwards, ready to fight.

Ken wrestled free of Myotismon's grip and his body turned into a living shadow again.He suddenly vanished without a trace.

Shinji leapt off the bar, her hand out to the side.A gleaming blade of blue energy formed in her open hand, and she slashed at the digimon.But he too vanished into a shadow, and the teacher floated by her partner.

"So, who do you want to take?" Myotismon questioned."You get Stingmon away from me and Ken." Shinji ordered, "This will be one hell of a fight."On cue, Ken and Stingmon appeared from their shadowy hiding places, and headed towards Shinji and Myotismon.

Cody hung on the side of the window, staring at Shinji and Ken battling.He knew he had the power to do something, but he didn't know how to use it.He closed his green eyes in concentration, and tried to understand his abilities.

Shinji slashed through another set of girders, angrily trying to find Ken.The mutant was able to vanish in a flash, and she couldn't see where he vanished to.The teacher flew off in another direction, not noticing the Tower creaking dangerously…

Cody kept his eyes closed.He could see Ken wherever he moved, even though he saw nothing else.Ken vanished from everyone else's sight, and moved behind Shinji.

"SENSEI, BEHIND YOU!" Cody shouted suddenly.Shinji whirled around, holding the blade of energy up.Ken gulped and froze as the blade rested under his chin.He was defeated.

Tai and the other teachers cheered, but then the Tower lurched to one side, pitching everyone to the ground.

"CHIKUSO!" Shinji shouted.She turned away from Ken, and the purple-haired man vanished with Stingmon.Shinji shut her eyes and concentrated on the Tower.Even with her strong mind, the Tower was incredibly heavy.

Cody shut his eyes tighter and concentrated on the Tower as well.The two psychic mutants struggled with the Tower's immense weight, until two more powers came to their aid.Kari and Sora were kneeling, their eyes shut and concentrating hard.With the combined forces of their psychic energy, the teachers, and student, were able to push the Tower back into its place, and then melt the bars together again.

The crowd below cheered with happiness as the Digi-destined team defeated their enemies.On a far off building, a tall man with black hair and cool red eyes grinned, lowering a camera and walking off.

"Cody, when did you learn to do that?" Kari wondered as TK helped her off the elevator."Just now." Cody muttered from Mimi's arms.Sora said nothing as she leaned on Izzy, hardly able to stand."Ow…" Shinji murmured, "Major headache…"Myotismon half-dragged her out of the elevator, and the entire group was met with loud cheers.

"Cody, you were great!" Reya said, rushing up to her friend."I have to admit, kid, that was pretty awesome." Tony smiled at his friend.Cody smiled back weakly, drained of a lot of energy.

"You were right about him." Shinji murmured, "He is one tough kid."Myotismon just smiled at his partner.

"NOW!**SWARM, SWARM!!**"

The group of teachers looked up, only to be shoved aside by a large group of policemen, or SWAT-men.They batted Myotismon away and grabbed Shinji, snapping handcuffs on her wrists."Hey, let go of me!" Shinji shouted."Shinji Shazaki, you are under arrest for destruction of the Tokyo Tower!" the leader of the SWAT team roared."Say WHAT?!" TK shouted, "They just saved it from toppling over!"Not listening, the policemen roughly shoved the twenty-six-year-old teacher along.

"WAIT!" Cody shouted, but it was too late.


	8. DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 8

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 8

[A/N: Did I just arrest my own character?]

[Disclaimer: Don't own.]

"Miss Shazaki, you are charged with destruction of the Tokyo Tower." the first man said, "What do you have to say in your defense?"

"I won't say anything." Shinji replied tiredly, "I did nothing wrong.I was defending myself against another mutant.""Oh really?" a familiar voice questioned.

Kusan Igan stepped into the light, throwing snapshots onto the table in front of the old men.

"I have crystal clear evidence of you destroying the Tower." the man said, "And there is no one else in the picture.And you seem to be enjoying this mindless destruction."

"DEMON!" Shinji shouted, rising to her feet, "There's no one else in the shot because you tampered with what the camera could see!STOP HIDING AND SHOW US YOUR REAL FORM, DEMON!"A guard leapt forwards and slammed his elbow into the teacher's stomach, silencing her."There's no need for that." Kusan said, waving his hand, "Just see that she doesn't escape her cell.Take her away!"The two guards forced the teacher from the room.

Thunder crashed angrily across the sky, and Joe jumped."Mimi, calm down!" he said, patting his betrothed on her shoulder."It isn't me, remember?" Mimi breathed sadly, "This is normal.""Oh right…" Joe muttered half-heartedly.Tai slammed his fists onto the table in the middle of the room."This is crazy!" he said, "Why would they arrest her?!"

"Someone set us up." Matt surmised, "Kusanagi.""It's only logical." Izzy agreed, "But we have one big problem.""How are we going to get Shinji out of jail?" TK wondered.The rain pounded loudly against the roof and windows, and it seemed deafening in the silence.The teachers thought hard, trying to figure something out.

"Wakey-wakey, sister dear." a sarcastic voice taunted.Shinji groaned and looked up."Go away you lousy rat-bastard." she cursed angrily."My, my!" Kusan said, "Such language for such a highly regarded person!""What are you here for?" the teacher questioned."Oh, I just wanted to see my little sister in jail, that's all." Kusan laughed.

He smiled and turned away, chuckling at the situation."By the way, if you're expecting your little friends to post bail, it won't work." he said, "You have neither the funds, nor the possibility to even try.See you later."

"Come ON!" Tai leapt to his feet angrily, "I expected that at least one of us would have gotten an idea by now!Especially you, Myotismon!This is YOUR partner we're trying to save!""I have no clue." the vampire said, "She exhausted her powers, so our link wouldn't even be open right now.We don't have nearly enough money to try and post bail, and like I said, she exhausted her powers, so she wouldn't be able to break out.The only thing that could help her is if she could get small enough to go through the bars!"

Tai's brown eyes lightened up."Did you say…'small'?" he grinned.The Ultimate level digimon nodded, and Tai grinned wider."Yolei, you remember that spell that you used once on Davis, right?" he asked."Spell?" Cody questioned."She's more of a magician than a mutant." Mimi whispered."Which one?" Yolei replied, "Davis is kind of my guinea pig for spells…""The funny one!" Tai snapped quickly.

"Yes, why?" Yolei asked, tilting her head to the side.Tai glared, and glared, and glared, and then Yolei blinked."Oh!" she said, "I get it!""But, Tai!" Kari said, "Wouldn't Shinji get really, REALLY angry with us for doing this?""That's the point!" Tai said, a glimmer in his eyes, "This is the only thing I've got, and besides, I owe her for something that happened on the trip!"

"Well, OK…" Yolei began to chant the incantation, and the others watched.

Shinji leaned back against the wall, letting her eyes close slightly.She was so tired, and this was a much needed, but unwelcome break.But suddenly, a strange and harsh electrical charge streaked through her veins, and she blacked out without warning, and with no sound.A few moments later, the teacher woke, and she blinked a few times.The clattering of metal against stone reached her sensitive ears—

Wait a minute.Sensitive ears?

Shinji looked at her hands, and froze.

She had furry paws.

"Oh gods…" she said, but what came out was:

"Meow."

"They turned me into a-a-a…" the teacher thought silently.The tiny, rabbit-like figure let out a pitiful meow."I'm a cabbit…" the teacher sobbed internally.

"Hey!" a weak voice shouted, "Hey, Shinji!Run like the dickens, you furry cabbit!"Tai communicating through a weak link from Kari.And he was laughing.

Shinji face-vaulted onto the stone floor, then got back up."Well, no sense in wasting a perfectly good escape chance!" the cabbit meowed in its normal tongue.Darting out between the metal bars, the small, brown-furred creature looked around.The guard that had elbowed her in the stomach was sleeping watch, leaning back in a chair.The cabbit grinned an evil grin.

"YEEEEEEEOW!!!"

The cold-hearted policeman let out a scream as something clamped down hard on his nose.He ripped it off, ripping quite a bit of skin off as well, and threw it aside.He heard the meowing of a cat, but was too concerned with his bleeding nose to look.

"And that's what you get for smacking innocent mutants!" Shinji meowed, waving a paw in goodbye.The policeman ran off, screaming something about demon rats, and the cabbit laughed an evil laugh.Shinji bounded down the dark hall, running out of the police department, and out into the rain.

The Digi-destined waited anxiously for the return of their friend.Tai was pacing nervously, and biting his thumbnail without purpose.There was a sudden 'THWAP' sound at the window, and everyone jumped.Myotismon leapt over the group sitting in a couch, and wrenched open the window.

"MEEEOW!!!" A furry cabbit yowled, struggling to keep its grip on the narrow windowsill.

The group all stood up, smiles on their faces as Myotismon pulled the very, very wet cabbit into the room.

"All right, Tai, you've had your fun." Myotismon sighed, rubbing the towel hard into the cabbit's wet fur, "Yolei, change her back."Struggling not to giggle like the schoolgirl she was, Yolei stepped forwards and raised her hands.But suddenly sweatdropped.

"I-uh-I-" she began, "It's been so long…I forgot the counterspell!"There was a flurry of cloth, fur, and teeth as Shinji leapt free of the towel and launched at Yolei.Luckily, Myotismon reached out and encased the small cabbit in his hands.

"Yolei, you've got-YEEEEEOW!!!" he started.But he screamed, nearly dropping his partner as teardrops appeared in the corner of his eyes."She BIT me!" he yowled.Struggling against the malcontent of a pissed off cabbit, he hissed, "You've got a few hours to remember or find that damned counterspell!""Meow!" the cabbit growled through Myotismon's hands.

"I've forgotten how cute cabbits are." Sora murmured softly, "Although, I have to admit that Shinji is a much cuter cabbit than Davis was.""Hey, are you feeling OK?" Izzy asked, turning around in his chair, "You seemed pretty tired when we were waiting.""I'll be OK after a good sleep tonight." the red-haired woman breathed, rolling over onto her side.

"Did you really have to bite me so hard?" Myotismon wondered."Meow, meow, meow." Shinji replied tiredly, lying on the digimon's lap."Are you in such a rush to turn back to normal?"the vampire asked, "You look so cute.""Meow, meow, meow!" the cabbit mewled."Oh yeah." Myotismon sighed, "I forgot."

Yolei searched vehemently through her composition book, searching through the spells she had figured out how to do.It had been a long time, and the notes were scrawled somewhat hastily, and she could never remember anything.But, she knew that she had written it down somewhere.

As the night turned into day, Yolei had finally found the spell, and called the other teachers into their meeting place, or their lounge anyway.

"So, got the spell all ready?" TK asked, "Sure that you won't turn our head teacher into a frog or anything?""Do you want to be turned into a frog, bucko?" Yolei snapped, "I was up all night looking for this!"Suddenly, both teachers' heads conked together and they sweatdropped."Meow!" the head teacher-turned-cabbit shouted, landing back on the ground and dusting her paws off.

"Sorry." Yolei sighed, "I'll get on it."The magician began to chant the incantation, and the group stepped back slightly.The cabbit/teacher sat still as a stone, waiting for the magician/teacher to finish the danged spell.As Yolei finally finished the spell, the teacher blacked out for a few moments once more.

"Yolei, what did you do wrong this time?!" the teacher shouted, in a strangely muffled tone, "I can't see a thing!"Suddenly, the sound of boots walking towards her made the teacher look around, until a hand fell on her head and made her freeze.

The same hand clenched into a cloth that was lying on her head, and lifted it up.Shinji blinked a few times, trying to get used to the light, and stared into her partner's eyes for a moment."What?" she asked.Myotismon dropped the cloth and stumbled backwards for a moment.

"YOLEI, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY PARTNER?!" he shouted suddenly."Yolei, what did you do?!" a muffled shout came from the teacher.

Tai strode over to his friend, and pushed back the cloth that kept falling over her face.The teacher shook her head for a moment, then looked at Tai.Tai slowly turned a strange shade of blue, and then turned around to look at Yolei.

"Please tell me that I'm still asleep." he squeaked.The entire group shook their heads in unison, turning the same shade of blue."What?" Shinji asked."You-you—" Joe stuttered.Sighing, Shinji stood up and walked towards the group, but then paused.

"Say, did you guys grow a few feet when I was a cabbit?" she asked, "Did Yolei cast some sort of growing spell on you or what?"She blinked suddenly and rubbed her arm."And why the heck does it feel like I'm wearing a really loose jumpsuit?" she wondered."You-you look—" Kari began.

Cody stepped forwards jerkily, and then stared his teacher in the eye.

They were the same height.

"Yolei, did you shrink me?!" the teacher snapped, "Why I am Cody's height?!""If-if I can say so, you…you look a little bit younger than me." Cody said jerkily, raising a finger and pointing, "You look…like you're nine years old."

Shinji froze, her eyes little dots, and then squeaked, "Am…I wearing a cabbit pajama suit?"Cody nodded slowly, hardly able to move.Slowly, Shinji began to growl angrily, a large pockmark popping out on her forehead.Then she leapt at Yolei, screaming bloody murder.

"YOLEI, YOU TURNED ME INTO A NINE-YEAR-OLD!" she screamed, "YOU TURNED ME INTO A NINE-YEAR-OLD YOU TWIT!!!!"Luckily for Yolei, Myotismon grabbed the nine-year-old and held her back."Yolei, if I were you right now, I would run like hell." he said, holding his partner back.He didn't even finish the sentence and Yolei was out the door.

That night, Shinji sat awake in her cabbit pajamas, plotting how to kill Yolei.


	9. DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 9

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 9

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 9

[A/N: Someone remind me to draw nine-year-old Shinji in her cabbit PJs!]

[Disclaimer: Don't own.]

"HOW COULD YOU LET HER ESCAPE?!" Kusan roared."I'm very sorry, Mister Igan, but this weird little rat-thing came up and bit me—" the policeman said, pointing to a bandage on his nose."I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR DAMNED EXCUSES!" Kusan shouted in rage, "FIND HER OR ELSE!""Mister Igan, I was unable to keep watch, and besides, you have no right to speak to me in this manner—"

A bang echoed in the room, but the sound reached no further.The policeman fell to the floor, a smoking hole in his head.Kusanagi angrily shoved his Oblivion Gun back into his arm and turned from the dead man, cupping his chin in thought.

"From what I've seen, my little sister leaps at any chance for a revenge fight." his mind growled, "Ken was able to get her thrown in jail.She should have leapt at the chance to fight him by now!It's been two days!Where the hell is she?!"

"Oh, there you are." Myotismon landed on the roof and strode over to the small figure."Still moping?" he chuckled, sitting down next to the still girl."Wouldn't _you_ be a little inclined to mope if _your_ body was turned into that of a nine-year-old's?" the girl muttered. "I wouldn't know." Myotismon leaned back on his hands and stared up at the sky, "I've never experienced being nine years old."

The girl sighed and kept staring down at the lush grass of the barrier between the school and the forest, where the various ages of children and teenagers practiced their skills."I hated being nine years old when I really WAS nine." she sighed angrily, "Why in the world would I be enjoying it now?""You can act like a complete idiot and get away with it." Myotismon smiled."If I wanted to do that, I would disguise myself as Davis." the girl shot back.

Cody stared up at the sky, which was graying slowly.Classes were starting up again, thank the gods, but it wasn't the same somehow.Ever since the problem on the trip, and no news on the whereabouts of the head teacher, the other students had slowly begun to fall back into a small place of fear that hadn't been there before.

Cody was developing his powers at an incredible rate for a ten-year-old, and knew his power was possibly stronger than most his teachers.But still not stronger than…Cody let out a soft breath, and then looked at a tree beside him.The trunk began to crack, and Cody's expression never wavered.Then, the tree burst into shards, and fell to the ground.The small boy sighed as he turned from the broken tree, a breeze pulling away his growing hair.He normally kept his hair neatly trimmed, so his grandfather wouldn't nag him, but…He stifled back a sob and wiped the tears from his eyes sadly.

Ken stared at the graying horizon.Wormmon lay draped across his shoulders as he stared at the forest that lay on the horizon."Wormmon, are you ready to fight?" he asked.The digimon leapt off of his partner and nodded.Ken held up his black digivice, and Wormmon called out his digivolution command.As the light of digivolution faded, Ken concentrated and shifted to his shadow form.The two vanished in a flash, heading towards their target.

Shinji blinked and straightened up."What's wrong?" Myotismon wondered."Ken." Shinji replied, "He's…Myotismon!Get the others to get the children inside!Ken's coming and he wants a battle!""What?" Myotismon nearly shouted, "But you're only nine!You can't fight!""Hey, Cody's just ten, and he's nearly level to me!" the head teacher leapt to her feet, "Just get everyone inside before Ken gets here!I'll set up a diversion!"

The shadowy form that was Ken slid up from the ground, and took solid form to create Ken.Stingmon landed soon after."Ken, where do you think she is?" the Champion level digimon asked.

"Well, howdy mister!"

Stingmon quickly de-digivolved and ducked behind Ken while the purple-haired man looked towards the origin of the voice.It was a small, blond-haired girl that was wearing a pair of blue jeans, a backwards cap, and a long-sleeved, tan shirt.

"I just started here at this school." the girl said, "Now, you look like you're lookin' for someone.Can I do anything for ya?""Where is the head teacher of this school?" Ken tried to sound as if he was coming for a visit, "I must speak with her."

"Well, I'm not all that sure where she might be." the girl scratched the side of her face in thought, "You might ask Takaishi-sensei or—"Suddenly, Ken let loose a blast of shadow energy.The girl tilted her head in time for the energy to pass safely.It slammed into the ground and exploded in a large range.

The girl closed her eyes and put down her hand."You must have sensed my energy, didn't you?" she asked, her voice becoming that of a more recognizable tone."Yes, I certainly did." Ken growled, "You're no student, Shinji."The girl smiled and chuckled, and she suddenly dissolved.In her place stood the nine-year-old Shinji, staring at Ken.

"Do you still think that you can defeat me?" she questioned, "Even if my body is nine, my mind is far beyond yours.""Does that matter, if your mind is unable to work?" Ken grinned.He held up his hand and a ball of what looked like shadow formed in front of his hand.Shinji raised an eyebrow, but suddenly, the shadow shot forwards from Ken's hand with tremendous speed and hit her before she could move.

Cody ran through the hallways, his sneakers clapping loudly.He was told to stay put in his dorm, but he didn't want to stay there.He ran as fast as he could towards the outside field.

Shinji blinked, and then looked around.Everything was black, solid darkness."The Shadow Realm?" the nine-year-old wondered aloud, "Did you bring me here, Ichijouji?""Yes." Ken's form appeared, "And it won't do you any good to try and use your psychic powers.The Shadow Realm nullifies all powers except those of Shadow Warpers."

"Yeah?" Shinji scoffed, "I _am_ a Shadow Warper!My partner has been teaching me how to manipulate shadows to my liking!"Ken laughed loudly."Not this Shadow Realm!" he chuckled, "I have my own Shadow Realm!I designed it!That's why I had to draw you into it!"Shinji gasped and jerked back as Ken started towards her.

Cody slowly peeked out from a door and onto the field.Nothing was there except for Ken.His eyes were closed and a throbbing purple-black aura surrounded him.He looked like he was smiling.

"But where's Shinji?" Cody wondered, "It doesn't make sense."

Ken slowly tightened his grip.He grinned sadistically as Shinji choked, tugging weakly at his hands."So this is how one of the strongest mutants on the planet is going?" he asked, "Being choked to death?"Shinji stared at Ken with nearly shut eyes, trying to just breathe.

Cody opened his eyes in shock.He had just searched through Ken, and found where his spirit had gone.Along with his teacher.He raised one finger and a small amount of energy gathered at his command."I've only got one chance." he pondered over it, "If I miss, Shinji will die."He took careful aim…

Shinji's hands were slowly starting to stop tugging at Ken's hands.He grinned, but then suddenly, something hit his physical form, and he was jolted from his Shadow Realm.Shinji vanished from it as well.

Ken's eyes opened and he looked around furiously."WHO THE HELL IS THERE?!" he cursed angrily, "FACE ME!"Cody ducked behind the doorway before Ken saw him.A half-conscious Shinji materialized out of nowhere and dropped to the ground.Ken stormed over to her and knelt down, grabbing her by the throat again."You will still die!" he hissed.

Suddenly, his hands were pried away and he was forced away.Shinji sat up with a dark gleam in her eye."So, you have so little honor that you try to kill a defenseless person?" she asked, her eyes dark.Ken was slammed against a tree forcefully, shouting out in pain.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Stingmon shouted, coming out from his hiding place.His Spiking Strike was ready to strike, but Cody let loose a psychic blast.It hit the digimon, but only lightly.

The other teachers suddenly rushed onto the grassy field, Yolei darting forwards quickly."I found the counter-spell!" she screeched, "I got it!""Then use it!" Shinji snapped.Yolei almost nervously flipped through her small notebook and started to chant the incantation.

Ken tried to strain against the psychic hold, but it only grew stronger.There was a flash of light, and finally, Yolei's spell was broken.Ken strained as hard as he could against the bond, but it was completely impossible to move.He stared at Shinji in terror as she started to walk towards him.She was much more foreboding when she was an adult, and Ken was already terrified to face her.

She stopped a few feet away from Ken, and stared at him carefully."You're hiding something." she spoke to him telepathically, "Something perhaps…my brother is forcing to be hidden."She raised one hand and put it before Ken's frightened, wide eyes.

"Let me see it." she said directly to Ken's mind.

Screams of pain…a cold laugh…a crying young boy…and Kusanagi.Shinji concentrated harder, and drew the memory into full view.

"Mom!" an eight-year-old Ken laughed, "Dad!Sam!Come look at this!It just came out of my computer—"Ken opened the door, a Fresh Leafmon in arms, and gasped as he saw a horrifying sight.A man in a ripped apart trenchcoat was standing with his back turned to Ken, pale arms and legs covered in blood.Ken started hyperventilating as he saw his family's mangled bodies on the floor, expressions of horror upon their faces.

The man laughed as Ken dropped to his knees, sobbing.Leafmon scooted in front of Ken, hoping that he could save him from this horrible man.The man turned around and Ken nearly stopped crying at the sight of his blood red eyes."Now be a good boy and come with me, Ken." the man said in a strange tone, "I'll be your family, I'll make sure that great power of yours is well-trained."He held out his hand and grinned, "I promise."

Ken sniffed sadly, eyed his dead family, and then reached out for the man's hand…

Shinji opened her eyes and looked at Ken.He was shaking, but with rage.Davis grinned, albeit no one else saw it.This was the chance he had been waiting for.Quicker than the blink of an eye, he had stabbed Shinji in the back, literally.

"C'mon!" he shouted, "We've gotta run!"Ken took the opportunity, grabbed Davis' hand, and the two of them sank into their own shadows.Blood spurted out from the three deep wounds in Shinji's back and she gasped, struggling to breathe against the pain.She vaguely heard the shouts of her friends, but everything swirled down in black.

"…hard to say if she'll be fine…"

"…traitor bastard!I knew we shouldn't have trusted him!…"

"Shinji?"

Shinji slowly opened her eyes and stared right up at the dark ceiling of her personal room.Someone tightened their grip on her hand and she looked to the side.Myotismon was sitting in a chair at her side, looking more worried than he ever had.

"We thought you had died." he murmured softly, "It's quite a feat that you're still alive.""He missed my spine, right?" Shinji squeezed Myotismon's hand slightly, smiling."Yeah, that's why you aren't dead." Myotismon chuckled weakly, "Kari and Joe say that you'll be fine in a few days, more or less.""That's good." Shinji let her head roll back to look at the ceiling, "But I did lose a teacher."

Myotismon suddenly snorted with laughter, covering his mouth and trying not to laugh."What?" Shinji asked."Davis." Myotismon snickered, "He really is a backstabber!"

Shinji blinked, and then smiled and chuckled, unconcerned of Davis' betrayal.


	10. DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 10

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 10

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 10

[A/N: Yippee!I'm actually getting ideas for Digimon again!Now, I've got a great idea for part ten!…with my brother's help.]

[Disclaimer: Don't own.]

"YAHOO!" Tai danced around the courtyard with Matt, "IT'S THE LAST DAY!"The other Digi-destined smiled at Tai and Matt's eagerness to end the year.Cody grinned as the small digimon, the In-Training digimon Upamon, bounced on the ground around Tai and Matt's legs, laughing.

"So, how's the new Digi-destined digimon getting along?" Myotismon crouched down by Cody and smirked towards Upamon."Upamon's great!" Cody laughed, "He's never been a problem!But…where's Shinji-sensei?Why isn't she out here?"

Shinji leaned backwards in a chair, her legs propped up on the couch in her room, a pencil balanced perfectly on the point of her nose.Her hands behind her head, she stared up at the ceiling.It had been a relatively cool beginning of the summer, so the twenty-six-year-old hadn't given up wearing her usual black clothes.

And thank God the summer was there.Kusanagi was on the rise of power again, and becoming more fierce with his attacks.Shinji grimaced as she thought about the three fresh scars in her back.The pencil twitched and fell off her nose.

"I'm not going to let you get away with anything you've done, brother." Shinji thought to herself as she caught the pencil.

"Uh, yes, Mr. Igan?" the young woman asked, "Can I do something for you?"Kusan Igan smiled at the woman and she blushed lightly."Yes." Kusan replied, "I have news on the whereabouts of that school of Shinji Shazaki's."

As the day ended, the students were just as happy about the end of the year as Tai and Matt.

"Cody, where're you going?" Upamon asked.Cody glanced away from the door and shushed his partner."I'm just going to talk to Shinji-sensei." he murmured."Can I come?" Upamon bounced eagerly.Cody thought for a moment, and then nodded, smiling at his partner.

Shinji hadn't moved at all from the chair.Of course, she had fallen asleep after a while, but she still hadn't moved.

Cody knocked lightly on Shinji's door."Shinji-sensei?" he asked, "Is it OK if I come in?"

"OK, warning shot one.And…FIRE!"

Cody gasped and squeezed Upamon as a loud explosion rumbled through the school.

Shinji's eyes shot open…and the legs on the back of her chair fell off with a loud snap.She fell flat on her back; even one of the greatest minds on the planet had a bad problem with sleeping in chairs.

"SHINJI SHAZAKI, COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!" a voice shouted, "YOU ARE UNDER ARREST FOR DESTRUCTION OF THE TOKYO TOWER AND ESCAPING FROM PRISON!"

"What the hell?" Shinji muttered angrily, "How in God's name did they find this place?"

"IF YOU RESIGN YOURSELF PEACEABLY, WE WILL NOT OPEN FIRE!" the policeman called, "IF YOU RESIST, WE WILL FIRE UPON THE SCHOOL!"

Shinji frowned angrily and teleported out of the room.

"What's going on?" TK wondered, "What made that explosion?"Kari was looking frantically out the window, TK at her side."TK, Kari!" Shinji's voice suddenly shouted from behind the two.TK and Kari turned around to find Shinji standing behind them, livid with anger.

"Get all of the students and everyone else out of here, now!" Shinji snapped, "The police are threatening to fire at the school if I don't go quietly!""What?" Kari jumped, "You aren't honestly thinking of fighting, are you?"

"Kari, think about who you're talking to." Shinji raised an eyebrow sarcastically, "I just need you to get the students out of here.Get the others, and then get out of here.""Shinji, you can't fight!" TK snapped, "The stab wounds in your back still aren't fully healed yet!"

"Then I won't show them my back." Shinji grinned, "Just do what I said, all right?"The head teacher vanished, and TK and Kari looked at each other."If she's going to be so stubborn, let's get moving before the fireworks start up." TK sighed.

"All right, it's been five minutes." the chief of the raid said, "Fire first shot, ready…F—"He stopped.Shinji was standing in the doorway of the school, hands at her side.

"All right, since you've decided to come so quietly, you have the right to remain silent—" the chief started up.

"Get lost." Shinji's mouth twitched up into a smirk.

The chief of the raid drew back, and then snarled with anger."All right, FIRE!" he shouted.

"OK, everyone, group one get as close as you can to Kari!" Tai ordered, "Don't panic, and we'll all be fine!"Many of the students wailed as gunshots and another explosion rang out.The first group of the three the students had been divided in crowded close to Kari and the twenty-year-old woman concentrated hard.

Shinji batted away the shell and didn't flinch when the explosion appeared high in the sky.With a strange glaze overtaking her eyes, she leapt effortlessly into the air as the policemen fired their weapons, but forced a shield between the school and the bullets.

This was a battle, just another battle to keep herself and everyone else safe…

"Where's Shinji?" Cody shouted over the din of the other students."It doesn't matter!" Myotismon replied, "Just keep with the third group so I can help you get out of here!"The second group with Sora vanished into thin air.

The policemen stared as the tall and slender woman that was their target hovered in mid-air with grace and knowledge of what to do.Suddenly, one of the special operatives spread throughout the woods fired off an explosive shell.The woman jerked forwards as the shell struck her back and exploded.

Cody drew in a sharp breath.This was wrong; something was wrong!Barely conscious of his own concentration, Cody vanished from the group, too late for anyone to realize it.

When the teachers had been brought to the special hiding place, there was a sudden uproar."Where's Cody?" Kari scanned through the students, "Myotismon, you didn't lose him, did you?""Oh no…" Myotismon's blue eyes were wide with shock and horror.

Shinji fell with a dull thud on her knees, her back bleeding from the stab wounds once more.Such a stun this was, to be injured by mere people such as these men that the woman was frozen.

"Shinji!"

Shinji looked up.Cody was…descending from the sky.A beautiful angel that radiated with power and strength…

"KILL 'IM!"

Time slowed for the twenty-six-year-old mutant.The policemen readied their weapons…Cody gasped in shock…he was going to be hurt!

"**NOOOOOOOOO!!**"

There was the ripping of cloth and the beating of air against something that sounded like wings, and then, strong arms were around Cody.The arms were the same as when Shinji held him the day his grandfather died…

The gunshots fired, but were reflected off a shield of psychic energy that Cody—even the policemen could feel it.

Cody looked up—although he was slightly afraid of what he would see—and gasped.He was looking into the face of an angel, his savior.

"Why did you return?" Shinji's voice came from the angel.Cody gasped again, his green eyes widening.There was a sudden silence between him and the creature that may have just saved his life, one that blocked out the sounds of the bullets being fired.

"I thought…" Cody whispered, "I felt that you were in trouble."One of the arms around him moved away and a hand cupped the boy's cheek."My dear silly Cody." the angel smiled with a beautiful smile, "No, now I may be in worse shape than when you arrived."

Cody's green eyes stared into the angel's eyes.They were…the angel had Shinji's eyes.He drew in another gasp.This angel was Shinji!

The black silence was shattered as an explosion quaked the shield.The angel turned and let go of Cody.The ten-year-old boy hovered under his own power and looked quickly over his teacher's form.

Huge angelic wings flapped once as Shinji hovered, glaring at the policemen.Gently pointed ears listened into every sound from below, and Cody stared even harder.Shinji was not his teacher, no.She was angel that saved him.

"Stay within the shield." Shinji ordered, "I will get rid of this fools."Cody shot forwards and grabbed his teacher by the wrist."Don't kill them!" he cried, "Please don't kill them!"

"Why Cody, I have no intention of bloodying my hands with this foul group." Shinji spoke softly, with a strange soft smile.With a gentle twitch, she had pulled her arm free from Cody's grasp and slipped from the shield.

The battle was over almost before it had begun.Shinji had raised her arm and hundreds of energy shots flew from her palm and into the air.The energy paused, and then flew back down to Earth, hitting every one of the policemen and people in the forestry.

With a flash, all of them had vanished.Everything was absolutely silent.Cody stared at his teacher, hovering with his power.Shinji turned in the air to face the young boy and extended a hand.Cody forced himself forwards and took his teacher's hand and did not protest when she drew him close and wrapped her arms around him.

"You see, when my power becomes too high for my human body, I must change my form." the woman said in a soft voice, "It happened twelve years ago, and I did not realize what trouble it could cause.Those men know of my angel form now, and they will tell others."

"I-I'm sorry." Cody said in a whisper, "I shouldn't have come back."Shinji laughed in one syllable."It doesn't matter." she murmured, "When my brother finally decides to fight us head-on, I would have been revealed one way or another."

There was a soft jolt—Cody opened his eyes to see that they had touched down onto the ground and Shinji sank down to her knees, still embracing Cody.

"But I do wish you hadn't risked yourself for me." she said in a strangely shaking voice, "Can you not see that I care for you as if you were of my own flesh and blood?"

"Why?" Cody asked, looking into Shinji's face."I don't know." Shinji shook her head slightly, "Maybe it's your power, or maybe it's your beauty, but I don't know why exactly."Cody's eyes glanced over her shoulders and found the angelic wings gone.

Quite suddenly, Shinji brushed aside Cody's hair and pressed her lips against his forehead.Cody blinked at the action, but was moreover stunned at what he felt.

Tears.

"Why are you crying?" he asked mentally to her, "What's wrong?"Shinji laughed slightly and her hands shook."Cody, your innocence is what makes you so beautiful to me." she replied mentally, "You have remained pure, despite everything that goes on in this world."Cody looked straight at his teacher.She smiled—a sincere smile—warmly at him.

"What are we going to do for the summer?" the boy asked, "I mean, it isn't safe for the other students to stay anymore, is it?""No." Shinji shook her head and the tears vanished from her face, "They must return to their true families.""Are you going to reopen the school this fall?" Cody inquired.

"Only if everything is safe by then." his teacher replied, "I won't allow anything to happen to them."

"Dammit!" Kusanagi growled, "Are you saying that she was able to defeat all of your men?!"He had returned to the police the day after the raid, only to find that the men had failed."I'm sorry Mr. Igan." the chief of the raid shook his head, "But the strangest thing happened.That lady—Shinji or whatever—she grew wings or something like that."

Kusanagi's red eyes shot open."What?!" he shouted, "She transformed?!"The chief looked at Kusanagi strangely."Yeah, big feathery wings." he replied, "Looked like an angel or somethin'."Kusanagi looked down towards his own hands, sneering.

"I don't believe it." he thought to himself, "She changed her transmutation!"A cold grin appeared on his face and he thought, "Well, so have I, my dear sister.We will see how long your emotions will let you stay alive."

"Well, thank you for telling me that useful little bit of information." Kusanagi put on his best fake smile, "Goodbye now."He turned away and headed out the door, the smile vanishing and the vaguely psychotic grin returning.

Kusanagi teleported into his secret lair, the psychotic grin still on his face.Albeit he was still irritated about his sister's amazing ability to win without killing or even harming anybody, he was stronger than ever before, and he was ready to battle soon.

His hand closed about the knob of the door to his chambers and he froze, pulling back.The sound of strumming—of some sort of string instrument—reached his sensitive ears.Someone was inside his chambers!

"Hey!" he shoved open the door with an angry shout, "Who the hell are you and how did you get in here?!"Kusanagi fell silent.A girl, a girl perhaps of just twenty to his twenty-nine, was sitting on his futon, fiddling with a guitar.

She looked up with thin gray eyes, eyes that reflected some strange intelligence."Who are you and how did you get in here?" Kusanagi snarled, "How did you get past my two guards?"

"You really should hire some better people, Mr. Igan." the girl looked down to her guitar again, checking to see if it was in tune, "They weren't exactly a problem to get by."Kusanagi hissed through his teeth, his eyes narrowing in anger.

He stormed to the girl and grabbed her by the elbow, forcing her to her feet.

"Who are you and how did you get in here?!" Kusanagi shook her roughly."My name is Lain, if you really want to know." the girl replied, "And how I got here…"She smirked slightly, her eyes thinning."Well, that's just a little secret of mine." she finished.

"What are you doing here?" Kusanagi shook her again, "How do you know who I am?""Who doesn't know who you are, Mr. Igan?" the girl Lain replied, "Your standoff against that woman Shinji Shazaki has been all over the news."

"So what are you doing here?" Kusanagi growled."I want to offer you a partnership with me." Lain replied, "I'm sure that you would enjoy a more competent ally than those two guards."

Kusanagi stared at the girl.He had very few 'allies' to speak of besides the students he had already taken from the school and Davis and Ken.Perhaps another helper would be of some use…

"I accept your offer." Kusanagi finally spoke, "However, if you fail or if you dare to betray me…"

"Yes, I know." Lain smirked, "I go boom."


	11. DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 11

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 11

[A/N: Yay!  I've got ideas!  Can anyone see something in the future with Kusanagi and Lain?]

[Disclaimer: Don't own.]

"I can't believe you actually volunteered for us to go and get food." TK sweatdropped at his girlfriend.  "Well, it was that or Tai and Matt go." Kari replied, "Do you _want_ curry-pizza for three weeks?"

TK shuddered at the thought.  He and Kari laughed at the subject of Tai and Matt's liking for incredibly spicy food.

People on the sidewalk passed by in a constant stream.  Each passed by a small shape covered in a ragged gray cloak.  The person was strumming a guitar, a hat turned upside down before them.  A few hundred yen sat inside.

"That's so sad." Kari remarked softly.  She shuffled through her pocket and tossed a few more hundred yen into the hat.  TK and Kari continued to walk back towards the hidden location of the school, even as the person beneath the cloak lifted their gray-haired head with a dark grin.

Matt, Tai, and Izzy looked over the damage slowly.  "Wow, it looks our bedroom after we—" Tai started to say, but Matt immediately slammed his hand over Tai's mouth.  Izzy gave the two a strange look as Matt struggled to keep Tai's mouth covered, but decided to let it go.

"Well, how many people do you suppose Kusanagi had out here?" Matt finally gave up on keeping Tai silent and looked over the large region of damage.  "By the looks of it, I'd say at least twenty-five." Izzy rubbed his chin, "I'm sure Kusanagi wouldn't bother coming out here just to kidnap TK and Kari."

"Damn right he wouldn't." a voice said with a cold laugh.  Tai, Matt, and Izzy looked up, but—

"The others are disappearing for no reason." Shinji paced back and forth angrily, "I can't pick up any thoughts from them!"  "Why not?" Cody asked, "Are they out of range?"

"No…" Shinji replied, "If I haven't picked up any of their thoughts and you haven't either, something is really wrong here.  Where are they?"

Izzy, Tai, and Matt's limp bodies tumbled to the floor at Kusanagi's feet.  "Very good." the demon smirked, his cheek resting on his fist, "And such disregard for anyone else…I love it."

Cody stared up at the black sky, his eyes reflecting the moonlight.  The five Digi-destined of the eleven loyal to good had vanished completely.  Shinji couldn't feel their thoughts, nor could the young psychic himself.

"Did you hear something?" he had asked the afternoon Tai, Matt, and Izzy had disappeared.  Shinji hadn't heard anything, but…

Cody knew that he heard something.  It seemed like…some sort of instrument.

But that wasn't possible.

Suddenly, an explosion rocked the ten-year-old and he looked about.  Dust and pieces of cement and concrete fell to the ground towards the direction of…

The teacher's quarters.

Cody teleported from the roof and looked about.  Dust floated into his emerald eyes and he rubbed at them irritably.

"Damn!" his teacher's voice snarled, "How could this be?!"

Cody blinked the dust from his eyes and kept his hand to guard from other dust.  Shinji stood beside the young boy, scowling at the wind itself that was blowing dust at the both of them.

"What's wrong?" Cody inquired.  "Someone kidnapped the others." Shinji replied, still glaring at the wind, "They did it within the five seconds that I took to get here."

"But…you heard it, right?" the young boy asked, "You heard that sound?"  Shinji's eyes tensed and she grimaced angrily.  "Yes, I did." she replied, "It nearly blew out my ears because I was so close."

"Is it Kusanagi?" Cody asked nervously.  A gust of wind blew and Shinji listened hard.  It was a long few moments before she even moved.

"It's a challenge." she murmured, "A challenge for me.  But…Kusanagi knows nothing of it."  "Huh?" Cody jerked, "You can't be serious."  "I don't ever kid, do I?" she smirked.

"Then let me come with you!" Cody insisted, "I mean, aren't your wounds still a little bad?"  "It's fine." Shinji waved her hand, "But I won't have you coming along.  I know that my brother's subordinates can't be any stronger than he is."

"But you just said that your ears nearly started to bleed from that sound!" Cody protested.  "This challenge is for me!" Shinji snapped, "I won't let whoever the challenger is harm you just because you came along with me!"

"But—" Cody tried again.  "Cody, they challenged me." Shinji interrupted, "I have to play by their rules, or they'll do something to the others!"

Cody started again, but thought against it.  He understood, if only a little bit.

A young, gray-haired girl sat against a wrecked wall in the shopping district, strumming something on a guitar.  The crunch of gravel beneath someone's feet reached her ears, but she played on.

"'Rakuen', if I'm not mistaken." Shinji called to the young girl, "Very nice to play the song of Paradise before a deathmatch, Miss Lain."

Lain chuckled lightly, but continued to play.  "So you accepted my challenge?" she inquired, "Where's that boy that scampers behind you everywhere?"

"That isn't the matter." Shinji replied, "Where are the others?"  "Oh, they're safe, to a certain extent." Lain sniggered, "If you die, they die."  "And if I win?" Shinji raised an eyebrow.

"You won't." Lain smirked.  She stood up and lazily dusted off her jeans.  "And what does Kusanagi say of this match?" Shinji inquired, "I read that he won't like this."

"Why must you pry into other's minds?" Lain tuned the guitar slowly, "Besides, he's got an eye on me, like he has on every one of his allies."  Shinji scoffed and grinned, "'Allies'?  Subordinate is the right word."

"He doesn't look at me like that." Lain glared angrily, "He acknowledges my skill!"  Shinji stared at the younger woman.  Suddenly, she smirked.

"You're in love with him, aren't you?"

"And what if I am?" Lain glared harder, "You don't understand him.  You only want to kill him!"

"For the peace of the worlds!" Shinji replied forcefully, "He is merely the demon that wishes to kill!"

"ENOUGH!" Lain struck all the chords hard and Shinji lifted her hand before her face.

The shockwaves in the air hit her hand and forced it aside.  A line of thick red blood erupted from a precision laceration and Shinji stared as the wind whipped about her cloak.

"You are a wind-master, as I thought." Shinji looked toward the enraged Lain, "By the way, this little fling of my brother's won't last long.  He will give you up, fool."

"SHUT UP!" Lain struck another hard chord.  Shinji leapt straight up and dodged the air-blades.  Lain glared at her and played a few notes.  Shinji pulled away her cloak and threw it to the air.  The wind-razors caught the cloth and the two became entangled in each other.

The razors faded as the shards of the cloak floated to the ground.  Shinji hovered just above Lain, her wings flapping lightly and her arms crossed.

"Fool!" she called down, "My brother does not care for something as trivial as another!"  Lain beat upon the strings in rage, sending another stream of razors and blades at her adversary.

The wind-blades bounced against a strong psy-shield and rebounded towards Lain.  Lain rolled to the side, but her own wind-blades slashed through the guitar and destroyed it.

"Can you not see that I have the upper hand?" Shinji called, "You have no weapon and I have one of the greatest psy-powers at my disposal!"  "Enough of your banter!" Lain shouted, raising her hands, "You will die!"

Harsh wind accumulated about Lain's outstretched hands and a psuedo-tornado formed about Lain herself.  The wind-master was lifted from the ground and hovered level with Shinji, daring her to attack.

Shinji waved a hand and a psy-blade flew towards Lain.  It flashed against the tornado that was surrounding and supporting the twenty-year-old and vanished.

Shinji's blue eyes widened slightly.  Lain laughed gleefully and cried, "You are not the most powerful here, Shazaki!"  She waved two fingers upwards and a strong wind-razor flew towards Shinji.  Shinji dodged and gathered a blue psy-blade in her hands.

"Yes, I underestimated you, but only for a moment!" Shinji grinned, eager with battle, "It's no wonder my brother is even bothering with you!"  "QUIET!" Lain threw another set of wind-razors angrily.

Shinji blocked the razors with her own blade and flew at Lain.  Lain flew backwards just in time as Shinji forced her own blade through the tornado-shield.  Lain threw another volley of wind-razors at the psychic and Shinji knocked them aside with her psy-blade.

Lain flew upwards as Shinji slashed at her neck and again threw wind-razors.  Shinji dodged and lay chase to her adversary.  Lain flew backwards while throwing razor after wind-razor at Shinji, destroying what parts of the shopping district she missed before when Shinji dodged.

"DIE, DAMN YOU!" Lain shouted.  She pulled her hands back behind her shoulders and then flung her hands downwards.  Two crisscrossing wind-razors cut the air, spiraling in a deadly circle.  The ground rose up in chunks and dust as the wind cut towards Shinji.

In a flash of dust, dirt, and concrete, Shinji vanished as a building exploded from the force of the wind and her smashing into it.  Lain laughed aloud and flew to stand atop the rubble.  After looking about for a short time, she found the prone form of Shinji.  Unconscious and trapped beneath a huge chunk of concrete, Shinji did not move.

Lain grinned insanely and readied the last of her energy into one more blade.  "And now you die!" she yelled, raising the blade in both hands above her head.

Suddenly, she gagged and the last of her wind-energy faded out of her hands.  Gleaming blue energy shone through her back, blood dripping to the ground.

"And you should never wait to make the kill." Shinji said calmly, her blade cutting straight through Lain.  Lain stumbled backwards, the psy-blade slipping back out of her body.

The twenty-year-old woman dropped to her knees, blood sloshing out onto the ground from the wound and from her mouth.  Shinji shoved the concrete off of her with one hand and stood up easily.

Dusting her partially wind-shredded clothes and rubbing a cut on her cheek, Shinji let out a soft sigh.  Lain was on her knees, her forehead pressed against the ground as she wrapped her arms around herself, trying not to let any tears enter her eyes.

"You will be dead in a matter of minutes." Shinji said in a calm, dead tone, "But I will wait to see you die."

With an explosion, Shinji vanished with a shout into a cyclone of shattered concrete and dust.  Lain was slowly picked up and she opened her eyes.

"K-Kusanagi?" she murmured quietly.  "Be quiet." the demon ordered, "If you aren't quiet and still, I can't heal you."  Lain cringed slightly, but marveled at the warmth emanating from Kusanagi's hand.

The cyclone of concrete and dust was banished as Shinji forced it away, still in good shape.  "Kusanagi, don't tell me that you actually care what happens to this girl." Shinji smirked slightly, "You, the infamous demon of both worlds?"

Kusanagi made no reply, his back turned to his sister.  Shinji sent a rock flying upwards, her hand raised.  Still no movement from Kusanagi.  Shinji pushed her hand down quickly, and the rock fell just as fast, aimed for Lain's head.

Lain drew in a gasp, but the rock was blown apart before it came near the young mutant.

"So you actually do care." Shinji smirked, "If I had known I would have killed her on the spot."

"Lain, I'm going to send you home." Kusanagi spoke, "Just rest.  I'll destroy her, and then I'll kill her friends a little later."  Lain stared with her gray eyes, but vanished as Kusanagi pressed his lips to her forehead.

"And now we battle, dearest sister." he turned around and smiled.


	12. DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 12

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 12

[A/N: One more part after this, and an epilogue.  God, I'm nearly done!]

[Disclaimer: Don't own.]

Kusanagi stood calmly, his face placid, but masking over rage.  Shinji stood upon the rubble, her clothes ripped from the wind-razors, but completely all right.

"And you call you yourself a protector of life?" Kusanagi snarled, "You will nonchalantly destroy anything that disagrees with your supposedly correct little ideals."

"And you?" Shinji replied, "Yes, destroying someone goes again the 'ideals' that I hold.  But you need to make the smallest sacrifice in certain times.  Those who have the intent to destroy, like you and your little lover, must be destroyed."

"Enough of your ridiculous banter!" Kusanagi shouted angrily, "You were always such a slow person, you know."

Shinji's eyes tensed at the insult.

"How so?" she questioned.  "Why do you think our parents threw me out of the house so many years ago?" Kusanagi stepped forwards slightly, "I knew of our powers!  I wanted for you to display them to see which of us was the stronger!"

He stepped forwards again, a fist raised.  "And yet you had no clue as of what was going on!" Kusanagi snarled, "I at the age of three was completely aware of all of my surroundings!  And yet you were still a simple-minded fool!"  "Yes, blame the one-year-old." Shinji rolled her eyes, "Shut up!"

"And still, when you became three, you still had not awakened." Kusanagi stared at his own hand, "I lashed out in anger at you—and you returned the blow.  Your powers were far greater than mine, and you were able to permanently scar me."

"So why do you hunt me?" Shinji questioned, "Despite the fact that I injured you when I was three, there's no other reason!"

"SILENCE!" Kusanagi yelled.  He threw a punch to the air, and shockwaves slammed into Shinji.

The younger mutant crashed into another building, but it did not collapse upon itself.  The shockwaves pressed Shinji harder against the wall, making many bones crack from the pressure.

Kusanagi grinned as his sister grimaced.  In a flash, the building had been blown up, and Shinji vanished in a pillar of dust once more.  Kusanagi plunged his hand into his arm, withdrawing the black gun again.

He held it ready, looking in every direction.  Suddenly, Kusanagi leapt upwards as the ground beneath him exploded.  He fired a bullet, but it was deflected against a psy-blade.  Shinji slashed at her brother, narrowly missing his skin and hitting his clothes.

"You are supposed to have the power of God?" Kusanagi laughed, "You defeated me so easily in the past, and now you can't even strike me!"

Shinji remained silent with concentration, and quickly thrust the blade forwards.  Kusanagi dodged sideways and slammed his foot into his sister's chest.  The younger mutant was kicked to the ground, falling through multiple layers of debris.

Kusanagi took aim and fired, but Shinji had vanished when the bullet reached the debris.

Kusanagi lifted his hand and clenched it, creating a red psy-blade of his own.  Shinji reappeared and brought the blade down—only to strike it against her brother's blade.

"Use a different attack you fool!" Kusanagi fired a bullet into his sister's stomach.  Shinji hovered backwards, her skin quickly healing over—but not fast enough.

Kusanagi threw a hard punch that sent Shinji spiraling.  She crashed into more debris, letting out a yell.  The demon let a smile adorn his face when nothing happened for many moments.

Shinji unclenched her eyes and looked into the darkened shadows of the debris.  So her brother had been honing his strength so much over these twelve years?  She let out a low chuckle.

Kusanagi raised a brow as chunks of concrete tumbled from the hole his sister's body had created.  No…that was impossible.

Shinji's hand closed around the edge of the hole and she reappeared, a small smile on her face.

"No!" Kusanagi yelled, "How are you still able to move?!"

"I've been underestimating you." Shinji wiped away a spot of blood from her cheek, "And you have been underestimating me.  What say we actually battle now?"

Kusanagi let out a low sigh of anger.  How dare she toy with him?

"All right." he murmured, an aura of gleaming red energy surrounding him, "But you will die."

"And I will kill you." Shinji smiled back, her own aura of blue energy appearing, "For that is our destiny.  To be forever locked in battle with each other."

Kusanagi's eyes narrowed as his sister smiled, and then, the ground beneath them exploded.

The peaceful citizens of Tokyo were shocked as the ground rumbled with fierce strength.  Flashes of blue and red light streaked over the sky.

Children on their way to school stared as streaks of the two colors shot overhead.  Cries of "How pretty!" and "What was that?" rang out, and suddenly, the buildings around them began to blow apart.

Kusanagi fired shot after shot of death energy at his sister, who easily dodged.

The two flew along within the streaks of light, their auras, Kusanagi flying upright and Shinji staring forwards, her body parallel to the ground.

"DIE DAMN YOU!" Kusanagi's shout was heard by all around him as he fired a bullet from his gun.  Shinji dodged down, the bullet blowing a gigantic hole in a building behind her.

The cries of the many who continued to die in the onslaught of their battle reached Shinji's ears and tormented her.

Cody could be anywhere in the city, he could have disobeyed her order to stay away, but why should he of all people listen to her?

And so many more were dying, all because of this battle.  Kusanagi roared with insane laughter, gleeful with death and the battle.

Somewhere else, somewhere where no human nor Cody could be harmed…

The Digital World!

Barely concentrating at all, Shinji drew the two of them out of the Real World and into the Digital one.

"You impetuous brat!" Kusanagi snapped, "How dare you bring us here?!"

"I won't let you kill anymore." Shinji stood still, her blue eyes locked upon her brother's crimson eyes, "This is our battle, and no one except one of us must die.  And you will be the one that dies."

"I think not." Kusanagi accented each word as he snapped his fingers.  The two shifted, and then vanished from that place.

"Kill her!"

Shinji let out a shout as four energies combined as one and smashed into her.

The energy faded and she collapsed to her knees, but three sharp points slashed into her face, throwing her back.

A lighted room came to her view; an arena.  Her brother had drawn her to a battle ring.

"We owe all this to you, sensei!" Jin, the traitor student shouted, "We owe our skills to your teachings, sensei!"

Davis, Jin, Hein, and Ken were there, attacking her, attacking her while she lay defenseless, too confused at the very moment to understand what was happening.

"ENOUGH!" she snapped everything into the right place, creating her energy levels again.

The two students flew to slam into a far wall, but the experienced Digi-destined that may have been allies sometime were merely forced back.

"Kill her I said!" Kusanagi's shout rang out from some shadowed corner, "Destroy her now!"

Shinji flipped to her feet and stumbled back as Davis slashed furiously with his claws.  The three lacerations on her face were healing over.

She stared at the two men's eyes.  They were tiny, lifeless, devoid of all light.  Kusanagi was controlling them to make them the deadliest fighters they could be.

"Release them!" Shinji shouted, "They shouldn't be following a demon that wants to destroy life!"

Kusanagi's familiar laugh rang through the arena as Ken and Davis forced her backwards step by step.  She stumbled once and stepped upwards onto a stairway.

Either the two Digi-destined enemies would force her up the stairs and make her trip, or…

A psychic burst from the combined energies of Kari and Sora slammed into her mind.  The others were hidden somewhere inside this place that they could not escape from.  However…

Had Ken and Davis been under their own mental power, they would have realized that the white glow in Shinji's eyes was a sure sign of something that wouldn't be good for them.

In a flash, the two puppets were blown backwards and the other Digi-destined had arrived.

With the puppets obviously preoccupied, Shinji turned on heel and ran up the stairway.  Her brother would be at the end of the passage; he wouldn't run away and hide from her.

And then quite suddenly, he was in front of her.

"Hello, dearest sister." Kusanagi smiled vindictively, "So are you ready to finally battle?"

Shinji took a slow breath and stood straight, her eyes narrow.  Then she laughed.

"You had damn well better believe it!" she smirked, rubbing under her nose for no real reason, "Come on.  Bet I can take you down."

Caught off guard by either the odd remark or her speed, Kusanagi found himself flying towards a wall.  He still managed to stop in time.

Cody was beginning to get very angry.  He had tried to follow his teacher to Tokyo and had.

After the fight had stopped.

Rubble, debris, and what looked like humans littered the ground as he ran into the city.  He could no longer sense his teacher in the present world, and the little boy sat down on a pile of shattered concrete to think.

If the others weren't on the earth, they were in a different dimension entirely.  And if they were in another dimension, he had to be able to get there.

**_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!_**

Cody heard his teacher's scream tear across the barriers between dimensions, and felt a knife stab into his heart.


	13. DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 13

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Part 13

[A/N: Well, well.  I'm on my last chapter, with the epilogue to go.  Am I stopping the series?  Nope.  Enjoy.]

[Disclaimer: I own what I create, but not what I borrow.]

Kusanagi stood over his sister, grinning insanely, her blood flecked over his face.  A gaping wound, one that didn't appear to be healing, was in her stomach, leaving her panting for breath and cringing in incredible pain.

"In all these years, you should have realized that I would come for you." he chuckled, "You've been a thorn in my side ever since you were born.  Now, I finally get to kill you.  Then that annoying partner of yours will die, and without someone to lead, the rest of your pitiful friends will die."

"Someone…will…fight." Shinji groaned, blood coming from her mouth, "No one…will stand…for this…"

Kusanagi stamped on her stomach, causing her to scream against gritted teeth, and he laughed.

"Sorry, my dearest sister." he sighed, "But I have a world to conquer.  Now if you'll be a good girl and die, this will go much faster."

The demon raised his gun, pointing it straight at her head.  With the bullets he had been using, one shot to her head would mean she wouldn't have a head afterwards.

"Goodbye." he smiled, his finger tightening on the trigger.

Suddenly, the gun had been knocked out of his hand and clattered away on the stone ground.  It was shattered, unusable.  The two siblings looked up to see who had entered their fight.

"Cody?" Shinji was the first to speak.

The young man standing in the room nodded, chestnut-brown hair flowing over his shoulders and down his back.  His clothes were simple, the same Cody wore most every day.

"Cody, how…" Shinji tried to ask, but couldn't finish from the pain.  Cody walked over to his teacher and knelt beside her.

"You always said I was the one who could do anything he wanted." the young man said, his emerald eyes glimmering, "I just made myself age a little to handle my sword.  Now you need to go.  Everyone does.  Go."

He lifted a hand, and Shinji was shifted out of the room.  Every person in the strange place Kusanagi had brought them was moved back to the Real World, Davis and Ken unconscious.

Cody stood now, his lengthened brown hair elegant as it fell in his eyes.  He lifted his hand over his head, and the two men were suddenly moved from the stone castle to a field, the sun shining brightly on them.

"You little fool." Kusanagi chuckled, "Do you think you can defeat a true demon?"

"I think you are deluded." Cody replied, "It's very unfortunate that your lust for power has severed your ties with your family."

Kusanagi scowled at Cody as the brown-haired man turned to look at the glory of the place he had brought them.  The sun was beautiful, the temperature perfectly warm.

"My _family_," Kusanagi spat the word in disgust, "means nothing to me.  My sister is an idealistic fool with a stupid vampire as a boyfriend, and my parents were no more than bothersome fools."

Cody remained silent, looking out at the terrain with tranquility in his eyes.

"Answer me, boy." Kusanagi growled, "What makes a family so special?"

"Look at nature." Cody didn't seem to answer Kusanagi's question, "No matter how many faults you can seem to find in it, it's perfect.  Like a family, everything in nature is perfect unless you think there is something wrong with it."

Kusanagi tensed in rage, and rushed forwards, a blade of energy clutched in one hand.

"Family is nothing!" he yelled, "It has no purpose except to hinder you and everything you do!"

He slashed mightily at Cody, but in a flash, he flew backwards, the back of his hand bleeding.  Cody held a golden-hilted sword in one hand, looking at the demon with peace still in his eyes.

"Brat!" Kusanagi shouted, "You dare attack me?!"  He held his hand, waiting for it to heal, but the skin did not seal, and the blood continued to flow.

"This blade is infamous for its ability to cut through anything, and it will not be able to heal through a special ability." Cody smiled a bit at the long sword, "In other words, any wound I inflict on you will stay unless you take the proper time and precautions to let it heal."

"You little bastard!" Kusanagi roared, "I'll kill you, and damn your ideals of family!"

He rushed forwards again, energy blade clutched firmly in his hands, and swiped at Cody.  The young man countered the attack smoothly, holding his own with surprising ease.

He forced the demon back, and the two stood ready to battle.  Kusanagi leapt in the air, bringing his blade down in a hard swing.  Cody stood ready, bringing his sword up to block, not budging an inch.

"Family is nothing!" Kusanagi shouted, bringing another strike in a horizontal slash towards Cody's head, "I've never needed any type of family to help me!"

Cody allowed Kusanagi to continue on with this banter, blocking each attack as it came.  Occasionally he made a move to attack, cutting through Kusanagi as if he was merely battling air.

"Family has no importance in the real world!" Kusanagi continued on his rant, "Even you must have realized it, with no family of your own!"

Cody felt a surge of anger, and was finally able to do something about it.  He stepped back lightly, sword raising up, and then slashed.

Kusanagi let his head roll back as the sword ripped from his right thigh up to his left shoulder.  He didn't scream, didn't show any remorse, but knew the wound was the last.

Cody put one foot on Kusanagi's chest, holding the tip of the sword at the demon's throat.  Kusanagi looked up at him, blood slipping out from behind his lips, sweat beaded on his brow.

"Family is everything." Cody hissed, "You may have destroyed the family I had before, but your sister and her friends are my new family.  They've taught me, and loved me even though I'm not related.  They act just like a family.  They are a family.  Never say that family is worthless!"

Kusanagi remained silent, his red eyes narrowed as he stared up at Cody.

"Now you die." Cody murmured, "For the peace of every world."

He raised the sword, and began to bring it down.  A hand suddenly clasped around the one he had around the hilt and he froze, looking around.  His teacher stood there, looking more tired than ever and rather weak, but there.

"The battle is over, Cody." she murmured, "You won.  Now go on home."

"But, Shinji!" Cody protested, "He's not dead yet!"

"He'll die." Shinji murmured with a tone of sadness in her voice, "There's nothing more you can do now.  Besides, he needs to die with family.  Go home."

Cody glared at Kusanagi for a long moment, his hand tight around the sword.  Finally, he clenched his eyes shut, turned away, and left to the Real World.

Shinji looked down at Kusanagi, and he looked back.

"So, is there anything you want to say?" Shinji crouched down next to her brother, looking at him with pained eyes, "I'll listen now, if you just want to tell me something.  We're family, and I guess this is the time when both of us need to listen."

Kusanagi looked at her, the blood red of his eyes slowly draining away to something a bit darker, to something more infinite...  To the same midnight blue as his sister's eyes.  He smiled, very weakly.

"Family, huh?" he groaned, "Sorry I didn't see it sooner."

Very soon after, Kusanagi Shazaki died.


	14. DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Epilogue

DM: Digital Mutants: Series 02: Epilogue

[A/N: Would you look at that?  It's the end of 02.  Have no fear.  I have plans.]

[Disclaimer: I own what I create, but not what I borrow.  Don't steal, and don't sue.]

"…and that, little V-chan, is your uncle's memorial stone."

The little silver-haired boy reached out for the polished black stone that read 'Shazaki Kusanagi' as his mother held him in her arms.

Shinji knelt down and stood Vahn up by the stone so he could run his little fingers over the engraved characters and smiled slightly as the one-year-old giggled.

"I'm going to have a child.  Did you know that?"

"I sensed the kid in you.  I was wondering why you were protecting that spot so vehemently."

Shinji blinked at the unexpected memory and looked towards Vahn.  He had wiggled free of her hands and had plopped himself down in front of the three memorial stones.

"And those other two are for your grandma and grandpa." Shinji explained as Vahn looked at her with a baby's confused sounds, "They would have kept hugging you and saying how cute you were."

Vahn smiled at the praise, his advanced little mind picking up on everything with no trouble.

"Sorry I didn't see it sooner." Kusanagi groaned, "Listen, Shinji, I'm sorry about what I've done my whole life.  Never meant to do such bad things, I suppose."

"It's OK." Shinji said in a quavering voice, "For every good intent, there is an equal and opposite intent, remember?  I was one side, you were the other."

"The bad side." Kusanagi sighed, "I shouldn't have done it all."

"At least you're calling me family now." Shinji smiled just a bit, "By the way, your spirit's going to be an uncle."

Kusanagi glanced at her with a faintly bemused look.

"I'm going to have a child." she explained, "Did you know that?"  He grinned and chuckled, blood coming from his mouth.

"I sensed the kid in you." he coughed, "I was wondering why you were protecting that spot so vehemently."

The two were quiet for a while.  Shinji looked pained, and Kusanagi stared at the sky genially.

"I'll do my damnedest to help you out as a spirit." Kusanagi muttered, "Just think of me as a guardian demon, all right?"  Shinji let out a laugh, tears starting to come from her eyes.

"Hey, you see the little string around my neck?" Kusanagi's voice was getting softer, "Get it off me."  Shinji gingerly lifted the string from her brother's neck and lifted it to see it in the sunlight.  A tiny, perfect-sphere black stone was attached to the string.

"Wear that." he said in a whisper, "My last gift to you, OK?"  Shinji looked at him, her breath catching in her chest.

"And Shinji?" Kusanagi whispered, his eyes barely open, "Love you, sis."

His eyes slid closed, and his breath slowed to a stop.  Shinji's breath caught again and she let out a low sob and lay across her brother's chest, crying.

"Love you too, bro." she whispered, "I love you too.  And I'm sorry it had to end like this.  I wish we could have been a real family.  You, me, mom, and dad.  Not like this."

She remained there for a long while, unable to stop crying.

"Mama?"

Shinji jerked back to the real world and found Vahn tugging at her shirtsleeve with a scared look.  She felt at her cheeks and felt tears.

Shinji looked up towards the three memorial stones and thought of what she had done that long year ago.  She had turned her brother to ash and flew to the highest place she could in the sky.

She scattered the ashes, murmuring the last goodbyes she could.  It was the very least she could do for him.  The very least.

"Mama?" Vahn looked very scared now, "Mama?"  Shinji looked back at him, and scooped him up in her arms, hugging him tightly and not letting him go.

"Vahn, I love you with all my heart." she whispered, "Don't ever forget that, all right?"

Vahn hugged his mother back as best he could with his little arms, glad she wasn't hurt or something bad.

"I wish we could have all been a family." she whispered, rocking her son in her arms, "It would have been the best thing in the world.  You, me, Kusanagi, mom, dad, Myotismon.  We could have been a family."

"We ah famwe." Vahn said as well he could, "Mama, papa, V-chan, gwama, gwampa, an uncle Ku-san-agi.  Fa-mi-ly."

Shinji looked at her son, saw him smiling, and couldn't help but smile in return.

"Oh, V-chan." she laughed weakly, "That's right.  Family.  We are.  Even if some aren't here with us."  Vahn smiled more broadly and hugged his mother again.

Shinji rocked the little boy in her arms and then was struck with an idea.  She put him on her knee and pulled off the little stone necklace.  Vahn looked at it with a questioning look.

Shinji put a finger up to the stone, and carefully cut it apart with a tiny bit of energy.  It became two halves, and she put the half with the string back on.  She created a string, melded it into the other stone half, and tied it around Vahn's neck carefully.

"This little stone is for you to always remember that no matter where you or your family are, you'll always be together." Shinji explained, "Keep it on, and you'll never be apart from your family."

Vahn looked at the little stone and then smiled at his mother.

"Can we go home to papa?" he asked, "Bet he misses us."

"And I bet you're right." Shinji stood up, giving him another quick hug, "Let's go home."

As the two left the memorial site, perfectly happy, two more people entered it.

"This, Tabris, is where your father is.  This is where Kusanagi is."

The End?


End file.
